Growth stimulation

What we observed in the subsequent days was beyond paradoxical. Our intent was to quantify how much plant damage occurs and if it is reversible. Instead as previously mentioned, we observed minor growth stimulation. 

The first obvious change in the plants upon immersion in seltzer is they become rigid and deeply green. While mid-melt crypts dissolved, healthy crypts and vals stood straighter and more erect. 

The relatively sudden environment of pure CO2 seems to saturate the chlorophyll in the plants, making them a deep, intense green within hours. In addition, the seltzer replacing the gases in the chymatous zones add mass and rigidity to the plants. 

But it did still more.

We measured the mass of a hornwort sample in the control tank vs. the same after the first cleaning session. Just days after the cleanings, we noticed the hornwort that was cleaned appeared brighter, greener and slightly larger. In the days to come, the hornwort subjected to treatment became much larger than the original control batch.

Inside of a month, the cleaned hornwort was some 80% larger than the control (untreated) hornwort!

External energetic stimulation of plant tissue to accelerate growth is in common use. While it’s not fully understood, applying external energy to plants, seeds, and roots seems to have a similar effect on plants as light energy.

The growth stimulation in both cases was short lived though. It seems to accelerate for several weeks, producing longer, taller, and thinner plants initially, which eventually linearizes to normal growth and appearance. We noticed the growth of the control hornwort ‘caught up’ with the treated hornwort after an additional 4-5 weeks.

And while many studies have been done, one famous study done at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2014 cited some theoretical possibilities. This study, which was done on the effects of externally applied energy to radishes, had shown accelerated growth up to a staggering 87%-150%!  The study noted that auxins, plant hormones that regulate growth, saw their production greatly stimulated after the treatments. In fact, they grew so rapidly that they distorted the shape and size of the plant, albeit temporarily. In a matter of weeks, growth normalizes.

We did not test for growth, near or long term as for our purposes, any growth stimulation was suggestive of the plants not suffering damage from Reverse Respiration.