The nature of cytomixis

Abstract

The objects of the study were microsporocytes of Lilium candidum L. in all stages of meiosis. It was possible to induce cytomixis patterns experimentally only by some mechanical stimuli applied in a particular way, such as squashing, piercing with a blunt needle and cutting with a blunt blade. These mechanical treatments cause sudden and sufficiently large pressure differences between neighbouring cells. Pressure differences are the direct cause of cytomixis, that is form necessary conditions for the flow of protoplast from cells with higher pressure to those with lower. Similar experiments with vegetative tissue gave the same results. Cytomixis is an abnormal phenomenon of pathological nature. © 1973 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.