PLANT GROWTH AND

DEVELOPMENT -
ABSCISIC ACID
Group 5 – Jalisha, Divya, Athulya, Farha, Shabeeh and
Syeda Arfa
 WHAT IS ABSCISIC ACID?
• Abscisic acid is a growth inhibitor
hormone in plants. It acts as an
antagonist to gibberellic acid. It is
also referred to as a stress hormone
OR DORMIN, as it Increases tolerance
during stress conditions. MAINLY
PRODUCED IN CHLOROPLAST OF LEAVES.
1. Discovery and Isolation
Three independent researchers reported three kinds of growth inhibitors: (i) Inhibitor-B
(ii) Abscissin II and (iii) Dormin; later all of them were found to be chemically similar
and named as abscisic acid.
2. Physiological Effects
• It plays an important role in seed development and inducing seed dormancy; by this it
helps the seeds to withstand desiccation and other unfavourable factors.
• It stimulates the closure of stomata under conditions of intense solar radiation and
water stress.
• It increases the tolerance of plants to various stresses and hence called stress hormone.
• ABA stimulates the formation of abscission layer and abscission of leaves, flowers and
fruits.
 FUNCTIONS OF ABSCISIC ACID
o Bud dormancy - Bud dormancy is an important physiological process that helps plants survive harsh
winter weather and determines growth resumption and flowering in the following spring. Bud
dormancy is generally divided into three types: paradormancy, endodormancy, and ecodormancy
according to various factors that cause dormancy.

o Leaf senescence - Leaf senescence is the last stage of leaf development and is an orderly biological
process accompanied by degradation of macromolecules and nutrient recycling, which contributes to
plant fitness.

o Induce Parthenocarpy - Parthenocarpy is the process where fruit develops without fertilization and so, it
does not contain seed. This can also be induced artificially by spraying auxin and gibberellins in
certain plants like grapes, papaya, etc.

o Seed development and maturation - Seed maturation is a key period in a plant’s lifecycle allowing for
distribution of offspring in space and time.
 POSITIVE ROLE OF ABSCISIC ACID

(i) During desiccation and other stresses, the concentration of abscisic acid
increases in the leaves of the plants. The hormone causes closure of stomata and
hence prevents transpiration.
(ii)Abscisic acid increases resistance of plants to cold.
(iii)ABA delays flowering in long day plants. However, in some short day plants it
promotes flowering.
(iv) Abscisic acid helps in tuber formation in potato.
(v) Abscisic acid promote root initiation in stem cuttings of some plants.
 NEGATIVE ROLE OF ABSCISIC ACID

o Abscisic acid acts as growth inhibitor and induces dormancy of buds towards the
approach of winter.
o Towards the approach of winter, the activity of cambium is inhibited due to the
formation of abscisic acid.
o Abscisic acid promotes abscission of flowers and fruits.
o Abscisic acid stimulates senescence of leaves by causing destruction of
chlorophyll and inhibition of protein and RNA synthesis.
 USES AND APPLICATION

Antitranspirant: Application of minute quantity of ABA to leaves reduces

transpiration to a great extent through partial closure of stomata. It thus, conserves
water and reduces the requirement of irrigation.

Dormancy: ABA is used to induce the dormancy of buds, seeds and storage organs. By
inducing dormancy ABA helps the seed to withstand desiccation and other
unfavorable factors. Thus, ABA plays an important role in seed development and
maturation.