PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 43

10. Functions of plant growth promoters and plant growth Sol. Human urine shows the presence of IAA which is a
inhibitors are given here in a jumbled-up manner. type of auxin. It is the main auxin in plants. The
Select the option that correctly segregates these ‘bakanae’ (foolish seedling) disease of rice seedlings,
functions. was caused by a fungal pathogen Gibberella
i. Cell division ii. Cell enlargement fujikuroi. The active substances were later identified
iii. Pattern formation iv. Tropic growth as gibberellic acid. Cytokinins have specific effects
on cytokinesis and were discovered as kinetin (a
v. Flowering vi. Fruiting
modified form of adenine, a purine) from the
vii. Seed germination viii. Response to autoclaved herring sperm DNA. Ethylene is a simple
wounding gaseous PGR. It is synthesised in large amounts by
ix. Response to stresses x. Dormancy tissues undergoing senescence and ripening fruits.
of biotic and abiotic Abscisic acid inhibits protein and RNA synthesis and
origin causes the destruction of chlorophyll. As a result, the
senescence of leaves is stimulated.
Functions of growth Functions of growth
promoters inhibitors 12. Which one of the PGRs would be used by farmers if
(a) i, ii, vii, ix iii, iv, v, vi, viii, x they are asked to?
(1) Induce parthenocarpy in tomatoes
(b) viii, ix, x i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii
(2) Hastens fruit ripening in tomatoes and apples
(c) i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii viii, ix, x
(3) Induces flowering in mango
(d) i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, ix, x viii
(4) Elongation and improvement in shape of apple
Ans. (c)
(5) Promote nutrient mobilization
Sol. Growth promoters are the chemicals produced by
plants to regulate and influence every phase of (a) 1-auxins, 2-ethephon, 3-ethylene, 4-GA,
development in plant. Their functions include cell 5-cytokinin
differentiation, flowering, and pattern formation. (b) 1-ethylene, 2-GA, 3-auxin, 4-ethephon,
Plant inhibitors are the chemical substances which 5-cytokinin
inhibit or retard the biological and chemical activity of (c) 1-auxin, 2-ethephon, 3-cytokinin, 4-ethylene,
the plant processes. They play a major role in 5-GA
dormancy, respond to wounding and stressful
(d) 1-cytokinin, 2-auxin, 3-GA, 4-ethephon,
conditions experienced by plant species.
5-ethylene
Ans. (a)
11. Match the columns.
Sol. Auxins induce parthenocarpy, e.g., in tomatoes.
Column I Column II Ethephon (source of ethylene) hastens fruit ripening
A. Human urine i. Cytokinin in tomatoes and apples. Ethylene induces flowering
B. Gibberella ii. Auxin in mango. Gibberellins, cause fruits like apples to
fujikuroi elongate and improve their shape. Cytokinins
promote nutrient mobilization which helps in the
C. Herring fish DNA iii. Ethylene
delay of leaf senescence. Hence, the correct answer is
D. Ripening fruits iv. Abscisic acid Option (a).
E. Aged leaves of v. Gibberellins
plants 13. If an etiolated stem could first be saturated with
(a) A-ii, B-v, C-i, D-iii, E-iv auxin by spraying and then exposed to a streak of
(b) A-ii, B-iii, C-iv, D-v, E-i light from one side, it will
(c) A-i, B-v, C-iii, D-iv, E-iii (a) Bend towards the light
(d) A-v, B-iv, C-iii, D-ii, E-i (b) Bend away from the light
Ans. (a) (c) Grow straight upwards
(d) Be prevented from growing
44
Ans. (a)
Sol. Etiolation is a process in flowering plants that are
grown in the partial or complete absence of light. This
process is characterized by long, weak stems; smaller
leaves due to longer internodes; and a pale yellow
color (chlorosis).
If an etiolated stem could first be saturated with auxin
by spraying and then exposed to a streak of light from
one side, it will bend towards the light. This is
because auxin accumulates on the darker side of the
plant causing the cells there to divide, multiply more
rapidly, and grow larger than corresponding cells on
the lighter side of the plant. This produces a curving
of the plant stem tip toward the light, a plant
movement known as phototropism.
14. Which one of the PGRs would you use if you are
asked to?
i. Induce growth in axillary buds
ii. 'Bolt' a rosette plant
iii. Induce immediate stomatal closure in leaves
(a) i-cytokinin, ii-GA, iii-ABA
(b) i -auxin, ii-GA, iii-ABA
(c) i-auxin, ii-ethylene, iii-GA
(d) i-cytokinin, ii-ethylene, iii-ABA
Ans. (a)
Sol. Cytokinins help overcome apical dominance by
inducing the growth of lateral buds. Gibberellins
promote bolting (internode elongation just prior to
flowering) in beet, cabbages, and many plants with
rosette habit. ABA stimulates the closure of stomata
and increases the tolerance of plants to various kinds
of stresses. Therefore, it is also called the stress
hormone. Hence, the correct answer is Option (a).
15. Fill in the blanks.
i. Spraying sugarcane crop with …a … increases the
length of the stem, thus increasing the yield by as
much as…b … tonnes per acre.
ii. …c… does not occur naturally in plants.
iii. Search for natural substances with cytokinin-like
activities led to the isolation of …d… from corn
kernels and coconut milk.
(a) a-Auxin, b-10, c-NAA, d-Zeatin
(b) a-Gibberellins, b-20, c-Zeatin, d-Kinetin
(c) a-Gibberellins, b-10, c-Zeatin, d-Kinetin
(d) a-Gibberellins, b-20, c-Kinetin, d-Zeatin
Ans. (d)
PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Sol. Spraying sugarcane crops with gibberellins increases
the length of the stem, thus increasing the yield by as
much as 20 tonnes per acre. Kinetin does not occur
naturally in plants. Search for natural substances with
cytokinin-like activities led to the isolation of zeatin
from corn kernels and coconut milk.
16. Find the correct statements.
i. Causal organism of foolish seedling disease is a
source of gibberellin.
ii. Abscisic acid is a growth promoter.
iii. Ratio of auxin to cytokinin controls
differentiation.
iv. Bolting of cabbage can be induced by treatment
with IAA.
(a) i, ii, iii correct (b) i, ii correct
(c) ii, iv correct (d) i, iii correct
Ans. (d)
Sol. Gibberellins were first isolated from the fungus
Gibberella fujikuroi, the causative agent of the
foolish seedling disease. Abscisic acid (ABA) mainly
inhibits growth and metabolism, and enhances
degradative changes, as in ripening and senescence.
Hence, it is not a growth promoter. The ratio of auxin
to cytokinin controls differentiation. Bolting of
cabbage can be induced by treatment with
gibberellins.
17. What would happen to the tissue culture of
parenchyma cells if auxin and cytokinin were present
in equal quantities?
(a) undifferentiated callus
(b) Shoot buds develop from the callus
(c) Root develop
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a)
Sol. When cytokinin and auxin are present in equal levels,
the parenchyma cells divide to form an
undifferentiated callus. A higher ratio of cytokinin
induces the growth of shoot buds. On the other hand,
a higher ratio of auxin induces root formation.
18. Rohit purchased a box of apples. He kept all the
apples in the box for a week. One apple in the box
was overripe. And that apple spoiled all other apples.
Which of the following hormone was responsible for
this?
(a) Auxin (b) Gibberellin
(c) Ethylene (d) Cytokinin
PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Ans. (c)
Sol. Ethylene is a simple gaseous PGR. It is synthesized in
large amounts by tissues undergoing senescence and
ripening fruits. Ethylene is highly effective in fruit
ripening. Hence, ethylene is produced by the overripe
apple in large amounts. Being a gaseous hormone,
ethylene diffuses from the overripe apple to the other
apples in the box resulting in spoilage of all other
apples. So, the correct answer is Option (c).
19. Senescence as an active developmental cellular
process in the growth and functioning of a flowering
plant is indicated in
(a) Leaf abscission
(b) Vessels and tracheid differentiation
(c) Floral parts
(d) Annual plants
Ans. (a)
Sol. Senescence is not confined only to whole plant; it may
be limited to a particular organ such as leaf and flower
or cells such as phloem and xylem. Abscission is the
natural shedding of leaves, foliage branches, fruits
floral parts, etc. According to Leopold (1967)
abscission is a senescence phenomenon. Hence,
senescence as an active developmental cellular
process in the growth and functioning of a flowering
plant is indicated in leaf abscission.
20. Match the following (Column-I with Column II)
Column I Column II
a. Weedicide (i) GA3
b. Bolting (ii) Cytokinin
c. Thinning of cotton (iii) Ethylene
d. Lateral shoot growth (iv) 2, 4-D
(a) a-(iv), b-(i), c-(iii), d-(ii)
(b) a-(iv), b-(i), c-(ii), d-(iii)
(c) a-(iv), b-(ii), c-(iii), d-(i)
(d) a-(iii), b-(ii), c-(iv), d-(i)
Ans. (a)
Sol. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is a widespread
systemic herbicide utilized in the management of
weeds with broad leaves.
Bolting is induced by plant hormones of the
gibberellin family and can occur as a result of several
factors, including changes in day length, the
prevalence of high temperatures at particular stages in
a plant's growth cycle, and the existence of stresses
such as insufficient water or minerals.
45
Thinning of fruits means an increase in the rate of
abscission of fruit abscission or fruit drop. Ethephon
a commercial preparation of ethylene
promotes thinning of fruits in cotton, cherry, and
walnut.
Cytokinin helps in lateral shoot growth. It is a plant
growth promoter that overcomes apical dominance
which is a process whereby the growing apical bud
inhibits the growth of the lateral (axillary) buds.
21. Match the following (Column-I with Column II)
Column I Column II
a. Auxin (i) Root hair formation
b. Cytokinin (ii) Seed development
c. Ethylene (iii) Xylem differentiation
d. ABA (iv) Nutrient mobilization
(a) a-(iii), b-(iv), c-(i), d-(ii)
(b) a-(ii), b-(iii), c-(i), d-(iv)
(c) a-(i), b-(ii), c-(iii), d-(i)
(d) a-(i), b-(iii), c-(ii), d-(iv)
Ans. (a)
Sol. Procambium formation and xylem differentiation are
directed by auxin.
Cytokinins promote nutrient mobilization which
helps in the delay of leaf senescence.
Root hairs are an extensive structure of root
epidermal cells and are critical for nutrient
acquisition, soil anchorage, and environmental
interactions in sessile plants. The phytohormone
ethylene (ET) promotes root hair growth and also
mediates the effects of different signals that stimulate
hair cell development.
Embryonic ABA plays a central role in the induction
and maintenance of seed dormancy and also inhibits
the transition from embryonic to germination growth.
Photoperiodism
22. Florigen results in conversion of
(a) Root apex  Reproductive bud
(b) Reproductive bud Vegetative bud
(c) Shoot apex Flowering bud
(d) Vegetative bud Lateral shoot
Ans. (c)
Sol. Florigen is a hormonal substance responsible
for flowering. It migrates from leaves to shoot apices
for inducing flowering.
48 PLANT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Ans. (c)
Sol. Wheat, barley, and rye have winter and spring
varieties. The ‘spring’ variety are normally planted in
the spring and come to flower and produce grain
before the end of the growing season. Winter
varieties, however, if planted in spring would
normally fail to flower or produce mature grain within
a span of a flowering season. Hence, winter varieties
are planted in autumn, they germinate and over winter
come out as small seedlings, resume growth in the
spring, and are harvested usually around mid-summer.

30. Cabbage is a biennial plant that produces flowers in

the second year of growth. In an attempt to make it
flower in a single year, four potted plants (I, II, III,
and IV) of cabbage were subjected to different
temperatures for several days as given in the table.
Potted plant Temperature
I 50C
II 200C
III 300C
IV 250C
Which potted plant will show flowering?
(a) I (b) II
(c) III (d) IV
Ans. (a)
Sol. There are some plants for which flowering is either
quantitatively or qualitatively dependent on exposure
to low temperature. This phenomenon is known as
vernalization or it refers to the promotion of flowering
by exposing the plants to a period of low temperature.
Biennial plants can be made to flower in a single year
by the process of vernalization wherein the plants are
exposed to a low temperature of 0ºC-5ºC for an
adequate amount of time. ‘Potted plant I’ is the only
plant that is being exposed to this temperature. Hence,
flowering is only seen in ‘potted plant I’.