title: Increased growth and germination success in plants following hydrogen sulfide administration.
abstract: This study presents a novel way of enhancing plant growth through the use of a non-petroleum based product. We report here that exposing either roots or seeds of multicellular plants to extremely low concentrations of dissolved hydrogen sulfide at any stage of life causes statistically significant increases in biomass including higher fruit yield. Individual cells in treated plants were smaller (~13%) than those of controls. Germination success and seedling size increased in, bean, corn, wheat, and pea seeds while time to germination decreases. These findings indicated an important role of H2S as a signaling molecule that can increase the growth rate of all species yet tested. The increased crop yields reported here has the potential to effect the world's agricultural output.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America. fdd@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Frederick D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: Suven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D005638:Fruit / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D027805:Phaseolus; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D063245:Plant Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects*; D012987:Soil; D013997:Time Factors; D014908:Triticum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D003313:Zea mays / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide