SEED GERMINATION

Plant Growth
and Development
 Growth - An irreversible increase in size and is brought

about by the combined effects of cell enlargement and cell

division.
 In a plant cell, growth starts with an increase in turgor
pressure leading to the stretching of cell wall.

 Followed by protein synthesis which brings the production

of new cell wall materials and an increase in cytoplasmic
contents.

 Then followed by cell differentiation where different cell

types are formed.
 Tissue differentiation eventually leads to organ formation
and he development of new structure.

 This last process is referred to as plant morphogenesis and

is responsible for overall form of the plant.
 Auxin – is the name given to substances that can stimulate
elongation in celeoptiles.

(Coleoptile is the pointed protective sheath covering the emerging

shoot in monocotyledons such as grasses.)
 Cytokinins – substance that trigger the cell divisions and
the naturally occurring cytokinins in plants is Zeatin.

(Zeatin is a plant hormone derived from the purinebase

called adenine.)

 Gibberellins – are substance that stimulate stem elongation

through cell elongation and cell division.
 Ethylene – is the gaseous plant growth regulator. It is
produced by wounded tissues, ripening fruits and aging plant
parts.

 Abscisic Acid – another growth inhibitory hormone.

 Brassinosteroids – another group of hormones named

after the plant they were first discovered.