Dr. Md.

Mashiur Rahman
Senior Lecturer
Dept. of Biochemistry
Plant Hormones EBAUB

Plant hormones are chemicals produced within the plant that regulate growth of plant.
Plant hormones are also known as phytohormones or plant growth regulator. Plants,
unlike animals, lack glands that produce and secrete hormones. Instead, each cell is
capable of producing hormones. Hormones determine the formation of flowers, stems,
leaves, the shedding of leaves, and the development and ripening of fruit. Plant
hormones also shape the plant, affecting seed growth, time of flowering, the sex of
flowers. They affect which tissues grow upward and which grow downward. Hormones
are vital to plant growth, and lacking them, plants would be mostly a mass of
Dept. of Biochemistry, EBAUB

undifferentiated cells. So they are also known as growth factors or growth hormones.

There are five major types of plant hormones. These are-

1. Auxins
2. Gibberellins
3. Cytokinins
4. Abscisic acid
5. Ethylene

1. Auxins

Indole-3-acetic acid

Auxins (Indole-3-acetic acid) are the major plant hormones which help in maintaining
apical dominance in plant. Auxins are always produced in the root, shoot and bud tip.

Functions: Major functions of auxins are -

1. Cell enlargement: Auxins promote cell enlargement especially in stems and
roots.
2. Inhibit formation of lateral (auxiliary) bud: Development of lateral bud is
inhibited by auxin produced at the apical meristem and transported down the
stem.
3. Root initiation. Auxins help to initiate and growth of roots by cell enlargement.
4. Cambial activity: Secondary growth of stems involves cell division in the
cambium and auxins promote cell division within cambium region.
2. Gibberellins (GAs):

Gibberellin A1

Gibberellic acids (Gas) are group of plant hormones that regulate growth and influence
various developmental processes, including-

1. Shoot elongation
2. Seed germination and
3. Fruit and flower maturation

3. Cytokinins

Cytokinins or CKs are a group of chemicals that promote

1. Cell division in plant roots and shoots.

2. Growth of buds.

4. Abscisic acid: Abscisic acid (also called ABA) is one of the most important plant
growth regulators. In general, it acts as an inhibitory chemical compound that affects bud
growth, and seed and bud dormancy.

5. Ethylene: Ethylene is only gaseous hormone (H2C=CH2) produced in many plant

tissues.

Function:
1. Ripening: Ethylene increases the ripening of fruits.
2. Senescence: Ethylene promotes the yellowing and senescence of leaves. It also
induces flower fading in pollinated orchids.
3. Inhibitory effect on growth: Ethylene inhibits elongation of stem and roots and
causes swelling of plant parts.
Ripening Process

• During the ripening process, fruit produces a gas called ethylene. This gas signals
the production of enzymes that break down both pectin, or the "glue" that holds
fruit cells together, and cell walls, a process that softens the fruit, as well as turn
the starch into sugar. These enzymes also produce pigments that cause the fruit to
change color and break down acids that cause bitterness.