What do growing sprouts do when their light moves?

Tatsoi, also called spinach mustard or spoon mustard, is a fast-growing leafy vegetable with small, dark green leaves shaped like spoons. The plant’s sprouts grow tender green leaves from their stem tops, and are often harvested within 7-10 days of planting the seeds. This Green Timelapse video captures the sprouts’ early growth. What do they do when the light’s location changes as they grow?

These examples of phototropism, a plant’s changing orientation—in this case to get as much light as possible—demonstrate sunlight’s importance for photosynthesis. Plants convert light energy into chemical energy to fuel their growth and development; by bending towards light, plants can maximize their ability to receive sunlight and carry out photosynthesis efficiently.

Around 1m23s, there’s a split screen of the sprouts that compares the effects of a moving light with a traditional light from above.

Watch more plant time-lapse videos:
• Unwinding the Cucumber Tendril Mystery
• Broccoli sprouts growing in a jar, a time-lapse
• Growing kidney bean & spinach plants, soil cross-section time-lapses
• Vermicomposting with red wigglers, a time-lapse