5.4.2

Plant Hormones 2

Test yourself

Light Investigation

The effect of light on seedlings can be demonstrated with mustard or cress seeds. Complete the following steps:

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Step 1

  • Place the seeds in petri dishes with damp cotton wool, and leave them in a warm place to germinate (develop).
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Step 2

  • Randomly divide the petri dishes into three groups and assign each group to one of the following light conditions:
    • Full sunlight in a windowsill
    • Darkness
    • Partial light
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Step 3

  • Measure the height of each plant every day for a week.
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Step 4

  • Draw and label biological drawings to show the effects.
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Step 5

  • The independent variable is the lighting conditions.
  • The dependent variable is the growth of the plant.
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Step 6

  • Phototropism can also be demonstrated by placing a seedling in a container that is open only on one side.

Uses of Plant Hormones

People use plant hormones to control the growth of plants for agricultural (farming) and horticultural (gardening) purposes:

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Auxins

  • Auxins are used as weed killers as they can initiate (start) such rapid growth that the weeds use up all of their resources and die.
  • They are also used as rooting powders (growth supplement) and to promote growth in tissue culture.
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Ethene

  • Ethene is used in the food industry to control the ripening of fruit during storage and transport.
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Gibberellins

  • Gibberellins are used to promote flowering, increase fruit size, and initiate (start) seed germination.

Jump to other topics

1Cell Biology

2Organisation

2.1Principles of Organisation

2.2Enzymes

2.3Circulatory System

2.4Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3Infection & Response

4Bioenergetics

5Homeostasis & Response

6Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

7Ecology

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