‭Plant Hormones‬

‭Auxins:‬

‭■‬ ‭Promote primary growth (lengthening) by‬‭promoting‬‭cell elongation‬‭and‬

i‭ncreasing the rate of cell division‬
‭ ‬ ‭Promote apical dominance – whereby the‬‭apex‬‭/ tip‬‭of a plant grows‬
■
‭while the lateral buds remain undeveloped‬
‭■‬ ‭Auxin concentrations may change in response to‬‭directional‬‭stimuli‬‭(i.e.‬
‭play a key role in tropisms)‬

‭Cytokinins:‬

‭■‬ ‭Promote‬‭cell division‬‭(cytokinesis) and ensure roots‬‭and shoots grow at‬

‭ qual rates‬
e
‭■‬ ‭Promotes secondary growth (‬‭thickening‬‭) and help to‬‭control the rate of‬
‭branching by a plant‬
‭■‬ ‭Cytokinins are also involved in‬‭stimulating the growth‬‭of fruit‬

‭Gibberellins:‬

‭■‬ ‭Triggers‬‭germination‬‭in dormant seeds (initiates plant‬‭growth)‬

‭■‬ ‭Gibberellin also causes stem elongation by promoting cell elongation and‬
‭cell division‬

‭Ethylene:‬

‭■‬ ‭A‬‭gas‬‭which acts as a plant hormone and stimulates‬‭maturation and‬

‭ ging (senescence)‬
a
‭■‬ ‭It is responsible for the‬‭ripening of certain fruit‬‭(auxins and‬
‭gibberellins promote fruit growth but inhibit ripening)‬

‭Abscisic Acid:‬

‭■‬ ‭Abscisic acid (ABA) principally functions to‬‭inhibit‬‭plant growth‬‭and‬

‭ evelopment‬
d
‭■‬ ‭It promotes the death of leaves (abscission) and is responsible for seed‬
‭dormancy‬
‭■‬ ‭It generally initiates‬‭stress‬‭responses in plants‬‭(like winter dormancy in‬
‭deciduous plants)‬
‭■‬ ‭Abscisic acid controls the closing of stomata and hence‬‭regulates water‬
‭loss in plants‬
‭■‬ ‭It also contributes to the‬‭loss of leaves‬‭(abscission)‬‭and the death of‬
‭flowers‬
‭Plant Hormones‬

‭Tropic Movement‬ ‭Nastic Movements‬

‭Directional Movement‬ ‭Non-directional Movement‬

‭Growth Dependent‬ ‭Growth Independent‬

‭Stimulus Dependent‬ ‭Stimulus Independent‬