Electric Currents around Growing Trichoderma Hyphae, before and after Photoinduction of Conidiation

Abstract

Electric currents were measured around Trichoderma harzianum (Rifai) hyphae using an extracellular vibrating electrode. A steady current enters growing hyphal tips and along the side of the apical millimeter. In addition, outward currents were detected at about one-ninth of the locations tested, 60 to 150 minutes after illumination but not in dark controls. This sporadic, localized outward current pattern might be an early biophysical response to blue light.