PLANT GROWTH AND MINERAL NUTRITION

 

PLANT GROWTH AND MINERAL NUTRITION

Growth: Increase in the dimension of the body is called growth.

Development: The progressive changes in the size, shape and function during the life of an organism is called development.

Meristems: The tissue in plants capable of active multiplication is called meristem.

Apical meristem: The meristem which is present at the apex or at the tip of the root and shoot is called apical meristem.

Intercalary meristem: The meristem which is located at the node or at the base of the internode of the stem is called intercalary meristem.

Lateral meristem: The meristem which is located laterally along the axis of dicot and gymnosperms are called lateral meristem.

Vascular cambium: The meristem which is located as a strip in the vascular bundles of the stem of dicots are called vascular cambium.

Efficiency index: Increased growth per unit time is called a growth rate. It is also called the efficiency index.

Absolute growth rate (AGR): The total growth per unit time in a plant or part of the plant is called absolute growth rate.

Relative growth rate (RGR): Total growth per unit time with respect to the initial growth is called relative growth rate.

Arithmetic growth: It is the constant growth in which only one daughter cell retains the capacity of cell division and remaining all cells undergo differentiation and maturation.

Geometric growth: A type of growth in which all the daughter cells retain the capacity of active multiplication to produce more daughter cells. It is completely dependent on the availability of food.

Growth curve: The graphical representation of growth against the time is called a growth curve.

Grand Period of Growth: The total time required for the completion of all phases (Lag, Log and Stationary) is called Grand Period of Growth.

Differentiation: The process by which cells, tissue or an organ acquire specialized feature is called differentiation or the Permanent change in structure and function of cells leading to maturation is called differentiation.

Dedifferentiation: The living differentiated cell which has lost the capacity to divide may regain the same as per the need and divide is called dedifferentiation.

Redifferentiation: The cells produced by dedifferentiation once again lose the capacity to divide and mature to perform a specific function is called redifferentiation.

Plasticity: The ability of plants to form different kinds of structures in response to different environmental (external) or internal stimuli, in various phases of life is called plasticity.

Growth hormones: The internal factors that influence growth are called growth hormones or growth regulators as they inhibit, promote or modify the growth.

Apical dominance: The growth of apical bud inhibits the growth of lateral buds are called as apical dominance.

Dormancy: The temporary suspension of growth or the germination of seed due to the unfavourable climatic condition is called dormancy.

Parthenocarpy: The process of formation of fruit without the fertilization is called parthenocarpy.

Vernalization: The chilling treatment of seed during germination in order to accelerate the flowering is called vernalization.

Epinasty: The perplexing behaviour or the drooping of leaves and flower of the plants during the flooding of the root is called epinasty. 

Dormin: Another name of abscisic acid is dormin.

Antitranspirant: The compound applied to the leaves of the plants to reduce the transpiration is called antitranspirant.

Photoperiodism: The response of a plant to the various period of day and night is known as photoperiodism.

Vernalization: The response of plants to the temperature is called vernalization.

Florigen: The hypothetical hormone-like molecule responsible for controlling the flowering in a plant is called florigen.

Short Day Plants (SDP): The plant that requires short duration of light and long duration of darkness is called a short-day plant or a long night plant.

Critical photoperiod: The length of photoperiod above or below which flowering does not occurs is called critical photoperiod.

Long Day Plants (LDP): The plant that requires short duration of night and long duration of the day is called a long-day plant or short night plant.

Day Neutral Plants (DNP): The plants in which the flowering occur regardless of the duration of day length is called day-neutral plants.

Phytochrome: The leaves produce a light-receiving proteinaceous pigment called phytochrome.

Devernalization: The reversal of vernalization by high-temperature treatment is called devernalization.

Critical concentration: The concentration of the essential elements below which plant growth is retarded, is termed as critical concentration.

Stunting: The retarded growth with short and condensed stem is known as stunting.

Chlorosis: The loss or non-development of chlorophyll resulting in the yellowing of leaves is called chlorosis.

Necrosis: The localized death of tissue of leaves is called necrosis.

Mottling: The appearance of green and non-green patches on the leaves is called mottling.

Abscission: The Premature fall of flowers, fruits and leaves is called abscission.

Heterocysts: Heterocysts or heterocytes are specialized nitrogen-fixing cells formed during nitrogen starvation by some filamentous cyanobacteria.

Nitrification: The biological conversion of ammonia to nitrate by oxidation is called nitrification.

Ammonification: The biological conversion of nitrogen to ammonia is called ammonification.

Denitrification: The microbial process of reducing nitrate and nitrite to gaseous forms of nitrogen is called denitrification.