TOPIC 15- COORDINATION & RESPONSE IN PLANTS

Learning objectives:
1)Describe gravitropism as a response in which parts of a plant grow towards or away from gravity
2) Describe phototropism as a response in which parts of a plant grow towards or away from light
3) Explain the role of auxin in controlling shoot growth, limited to:
a)auxin is made in the shoot tip
b) auxin spreads through the plant from the shoot tip
c) auxin is unequally distributed in response to light and gravity
d) auxin stimulates cell elongation
4) Investigate gravitropism and phototropism in shoots and roots

Sensitivity is the ability of living organisms to respond to stimuli.

Tropism : growth movements in response to directional stimuli

Directional stimuli: Light, gravity, water & touch

• Gravitropism: Growth movement of plant in response to gravity

• Phototropism: Growth movement of plant in response to light

Positive response: if plant organ respond by growing toward the stimuli

Negative response: If plant organ respond by growing away from the stimuli.
Shoot:
positive phototropism: it grows
towards the light.
Negative gravitropism: It grows
away from the light.

ROOT:
Negative phototropism: it grows
away from the light
positive gravitropism: It grows
toward the light.

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Advantages of trophic responses:

• Positive phototropism of shoot bring brings its leaves into the best situation for
absorption of light and diffusion of carbon dioxide during the process of photosynthesis.
• It also allows the flowers to be brought to an exposed position where they are most likely
to been seen and pollinated.

Investigation of phototropism and gravitropism

Phototropism and gravitropism are shown best in simple controlled experiments. Seedlings are
good materials for experiments on sensitivity because their growing roots (radicles) and shoots
respond quickly to the stimuli of light and gravity.

Experiment to show gravitropism

Clinostats is ideally used in this experiment. Clinostat is a clockwork on an electric turntable,
which can set to rotate slowly four times in an hour.

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Experiment to show phototropism.

• Two plants of the same type are used and both are watered regularly.
• One plant is placed under a cardboard box with a window cut in one side, so light reaches
the shoot from one direction (Refer to the picture above- Box A).
• The other plant is placed in an identical situation but on clinostat. This will rotate the
plant about 4 times per hour and expose each side of the shoot equally to the source of
light. This is the control. (Refer to the picture above- Box B).
•

Result:
• After 1 or 2 days, it will be found that the stem with one sided illumination (Box A) has
changed its direction of growth and is growing to the source of light.

• The control shoot has continued to grow vertically.

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Plant growth substance (Auxin) and tropism

• In animals and plant, the growth rate and the amount of growth is controlled be
chemicals: hormones in animal and growth substance in plant.

• One of the growth substance is AUXIN.

• It is produced in the tips of actively growing roots and shoots and moved by diffusion to
region of extension where it stimulates enlongation.

Control of shoot by Auxin

When the light is on top of plant:

When the light is only at one side of the plant.

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Control of root by Auxin

Classic experiment to test how Auxin works.

• Shoot tip called coleoptile covered the tip of shoot and act as a protection.
• It is where Auxin is produced.
• Coleoptile can be cut from shoot it shows similar responses to light and gravity.

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Interpretation:

In A, the source of Auxin is removed. Auxin is needed to stimulate elongation and stimulates a
response to light.

In B, Auxin is produced by the tip of the coleoptile and diffuse to the shaded side. Cells on the
shaded side elongate faster than the light, causing the coleoptile to grow towards the light.

In C, auxin is produced by the tip and diffuses down, causing all cells on both sides of the
coleoptile of the coleoptile to elongate at an equal rate, causing an increase in length.
However, the black paper prevents the light influencing the auxin, so there is no response to the
direction of light.

In D, Auxin from the block diffuses down and collects on the shaded side of the coleoptile. Cells
on the shaded side elongate faster than the light side. This causes coleoptile to bed towards the
light.