Plant response to Stimuli

Stimulus: any change in the environment that causes a plant to respond Tropism: directional growth response of part of a plant to an external stimulus

Phototropism: unidirectional light e.g. stems grow towards light.

Geotropism: force of gravity

e.g. roots grow down and stems grow up. Thigmatropism: touch e.g. sweet pea bends around a stake placed beside it. Hydrotropism: water e.g. young roots grow

towards wet places in soil.

Chemotropism: chemicals e.g. pollen tubule growing towards the ovule to deliver the male gametes for fertilisation.

 A tropism is a plants response to a stimulus coming from one direction, e.g. sunlight, gravity.

Phototropism is a growth response of a stem towards light, so that it can receive the maximum amount of light for photosynthesis.

 The coleoptile is the sheath around the leaves and shoot of grass seedlings, such as corn or oats.

 Geotropism is the growth of a plant in response to gravityit allows the root to get the water and nutrients it needs from the soil, and raises the leaves up into the light for photosynthesis.
Thigmotropism is the growth of a plant in response to contact, e.g. vines wrap around objects which help support the plant.

 Hydrotropism is the response of roots to water they will grow towards it.

Chemotropism is the response to chemicals, e.g. pollen tubes growing down the carpel in response to chemicals released by the ovule.

Identify the plant tropism in each picture?

Growth regulator: Chemicals produced in meristematic regions and transported through

vascular system of plants.

Affect growth rate/development of plants when present in very low concentrations.

Some regulators promote growth e.g. auxins.

Others inhibit growth e.g. ethene and abscisic acid.

Identify the plant growth regulator involved in each of the following? A - Growth
B: Growth shut down for winter

Gibberellins
cause stem lengthening,

Mobilise the stored food in germinating seeds

Break dormancy in buds and seeds in Spring.

Cytokinin
Cytokinins stimulate cell division (mitosis) and trigger leaf growth in spring. Abscisin Abscisic acid triggers bud and seed dormancy in autumn and inhibits cell growth.

Ethene Ethene promotes ripening of fruit and the fall of leaves, flowers and fruits.

Combined effect of growth promoter and growth

inhibitor: Auxin produced in young leaves prevents leaf fall. Ethene produced in aging leaves is responsible for leaf fall. Most broad-leaved trees in Ireland lose their leaves in autumn

Use of plant regulators: (2 examples): Commercial preparation e.g. Auxin - rooting powders - promotes formation of roots on stem cuttings.

Ethene in green banana ripening

Gibberellins are used to produce large and seedless fruit

B A Identify the use of plant growth regulators shown in each picture? C

Uses of plant regulators Artificial auxins are used in rooting powders to stimulate root formation in stem cuttings. A synthetic auxin [2,4-D] is used as a selective weedkiller, making the plants grow too fast.

Fruit is transported green and unripe, and can then be quickly ripened by spraying it with ethene.

 IAA (Indoleacetic acid) is an auxin that is made in the meristems of shoots, buds and root, and in the tips of coleoptiles [of grasses].

 Auxin travels backwards from the tip in the vascular tissue and causes cells to elongate (get longer). This makes the zone of elongation grow and so the tip is pushed further upwards (in shoots) and downwards (in roots).

Movement is by active transport from cell to cell this requires energy.

APICAL DOMINANCE

Auxins are responsible for apical dominance, where the main bud inhibits the growth of buds lower down stem. This photograph shows side buds sprouting when the main stem is cut off [pruned].

Apical Dominance: Auxin produced in apical meristems transported downwards. High auxin concentration: stimulates elongation of stem cells inhibits axillary buds from developing into branches. Apical bud is removed: Source of auxin is lost. Auxin levels in stem decline, stimulates growth of axillary buds and formation of branches. (Used in pruning by gardeners)

Apical Dominance: Auxin produced in apical _________________ transported downwards. High auxin concentration: stimulates _________ of stem cells _________ axillary buds from developing into ________. Apical bud is removed: Source of _______ is lost. Auxin levels in stem decline, stimulates growth of ____________ buds and formation of branches. (Used in ________ by gardeners)

Mechanism of Phototropism: Vertical stem exposed to unilateral light. Auxin produced in apical meristem at tip of stem. Light causes auxin to move through phloem to more shaded side of stem.

Higher auxin concentration causes stem cells in

shaded side to elongate. Greater growth on shaded side causes stem to bend towards light.

Mechanism of Phototropism: Put these statements in the correct order: 1. Higher auxin concentration causes stem cells in shaded side to elongate. 2. Vertical stem exposed to unilateral light. 3. Greater growth on shaded side causes stem to

bend towards light.

4. Light causes auxin to move through phloem to more shaded side of stem. 5. Auxin produced in apical meristem at tip of stem

4 methods of anatomical/chemical adaptations that protect plants against: Water loss: Waterproof cuticle on surface of leaves reduces evaporation of water from plant. High temperatures: At high temp. some plants make shock proteins that bind to other proteins, stabilising their shape, preventing denaturation. Large herbivores: Thorns, needles and spines make feeding on stems and leaves very uncomfortable.

Insect pests: Tree bark is a barrier to most insects.

Investigate effect of I.A.A. growth regulator on plant tissue: 1. Label 8 petri dishes and bottles as follows: 102 ppm, 10 ppm, 1 ppm, 10-1 ppm, 10-2 ppm, 10-3 ppm, 10-4 ppm, distilled water 2. Using a syringe, add 10 cm3 0.01%w/v IAA solution to 1st bottle 3. Using 2nd syringe add 9 cm3 distilled water to next 7 bottles. 4. Using a dropper, add 1 cm3 IAA solution from 1st bottle to 2nd bottle. Stopper, mix. 5. Using a different dropper, remove 1 cm3 of solution from 2nd bottle and add to 3rd bottle. Stopper, mix. 6. Using a different dropper each time, repeat this serial dilution procedure for the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th bottles. 7. Discard 1 cm3 solution from 7th bottle. Each bottle now has 9 cm3 solution. 8. Fit a circular acetate grid inside the lid of each petri-dish. 9. Place 5 radish seeds along a grid line in each dish. 10. Place a filter paper on top of the seeds in each dish. 11. Add 2 cm3 of each solution to its matching dish. 12. Spread piece of cotton wool on top of filter paper in each dish.

13. Add the remaining 7 cm3 of each solution to the cotton wool in the appropriate dish. Allow cotton wool to absorb all the solution. 14. Replace the base of each dish and secure with a small piece of adhesive tape. 15. Stand the dishes vertically on their edge so the roots grow down. Leave in an incubator for 2-3 days. 16. Measure length of roots and shoots of seedlings in each dish using the acetate grids. 17. Calculate total length and average length of the roots and shoots in each dish. 18. Calculate the % stimulation or inhibition of root and shoot growth in each dish as follows;

ACTIVITY To investigate the effect of IAA growth regulator on plant tissue

Materials IAA solution, 0.01% w/v = 100 parts per million (ppm)

Radish seeds
8 Test tubes or Bottles Distilled Water

8 Petri Dishes
8 Acetate Grids and Cotton wool

Method A. Preparing different concentrations of IAA 1. Label the 8 Petri dishes, droppers and bottles 1, 2, 3 . . . 8

2. Using a syringe, add 10 ml IAA solution to Bottle 1. 3. Using another syringe, add 9 ml distilled water to each of the bottles numbered 2 to 8.

4. Using Dropper 1, remove 1 ml IAA solution from Bottle 1 and add it to Bottle 2. Place the cap on Bottle 2 and mix.

5. Using Dropper 2, remove 1 ml IAA solution from Bottle 2 and add it to Bottle 3. Mix.

6. Using a different dropper each time, repeat this procedure up to Bottle 7.

7. After mixing Bottle 7, remove 1 ml so that each bottle now contains 9 ml of solution. 8. Leave Bottle 8 as it is, with just 9 ml distilled water it will act as the control.

Serial dilutionmaking different concentrations of IAA

Serial dilutionmaking different concentrations of IAA

Tube 1 10 mls 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

IAA

-control 9 mls 9 mls 9 mls 9 mls 9 mls 9 mls 9 mls

Water

--

IAA conc

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

*ppm

100

10

0.1

0.01

0.001

0.000 1

*ppm = parts per million

7. Draw a graph of the % stimulation and inhibition of root and shoot growth against IAA concentration.
Put IAA concentration on the horizontal [X] axis

Page 281
1. Day length, temperature, gravity, light intensity 2. Tropism: directional growth response of part of a plant to an external stimulus 3. Auxin is a plant growth regulator. It is produced in meristematic regions of plant. 4. Phototropism, geotropism, thigmotropism, hydrotropism Geotropism: roots grow down towards gravity Hydrotropism: young roots grow towards wet places in soil

5. Growth regulators affect the growth or development of plants when they are in very low concentrations 6. Young leaves produce auxin that prevents leaf fall. As the leaf ages, it stops producing auxin and produces more ethene which causes leaves to fall in autumn. 7. Auxin - rooting powders Ethene - green banana ripening Gibberellins - produce large seedless fruit 9. Protection against water loss: presence of a waterproof cuticle on surface of leaves and outer cork layer of bark reduces water evaporation from plant

Protection against high temperatures: Shock proteins bind to vital proteins, preventing them from denaturing. Protection against large herbivores: Thorns, needles make feeding on stems and leaves very uncomfortable. Protection against insect pests: Tree bark is a barrier to most insects.

10.Auxins are produced at apical meristem (shoot tip).

11.High Auxin concentration stimulation elongation of stem cells, but inhibits axillary buds from developing into branches. 13. Auxins have the opposite effect on roots than on shoots.

14.Pruning: If the apical bud is removed, the source of auxin is lost. Auxin levels in the stem decline, stimulating growth of axillary buds, and formation of branches. 15.Auxins are used as rooting powders. 16.Phototropism: Light causes auxin in tip of shoot to move to more shaded side of stem through phloem. Higher auxin concentration in shaded side of stem causes stem cells to elongate. Greater growth on shaded side causes stem to bend towards light.