Requirements for plant growth

• Air
• Water
stem of a plant grows upwards
• Light
• Minerals roots grow downwards
• Chemical substances
 • Cut and remove the apex of one plant
• Measure the heights of both plants
• Supply same environmental
conditions for both plants and
measure their heights daily for a
week

• Plant with the apex grows and

increases its height
• Height of the plant without the
apex does not change
There is an effect of the apex on plants to increase their height
 Both plants get light only
from one direction

Plant with Plant without

the apex the apex

• The plant with the apex grows to the direction of the light
• The plant without the apex does not turn towards the light

There is an effect on the apex on the growth of a plant

Plant growth substances
• Chemical compounds which regulate the growth of a
plant.
• Promote the growth
Ex – Auxins
Gibberelins
Cytokinins
• Inhibit the growth
Auxins
• A growth promoting hormone
• Produced in the tips of the shoots and
the roots and diffuse downwards
• Stimulate cell elongation in stem and
root by speeding up the growth of new
cells
• Ex: IAA (indole acetic acid)
• Auxin inhibit the growth of lateral buds
Positive phototropic movement
• Auxin concentrate more in the side of plant where
intensity of light fall is low and auxin concentrate less
in the other side of the plant
• Auxin move to the darker side
of the plant
• Stem apex turn towards light
due to dissimilar cell elongation
of stem (curving of the plant
stem tip towards the light)
Gibberellins
Promotes mainly the elongation of the stem and growth of the
fruits
Cytokinins
• Accelerates the cell division
• The growth of flowers, leaves,
fruits and roots get accelerated
• Stimulate seed germination
and delay plant ageing
Falling leaves and
fruits when matured
Uses of artificial growth substances