Class 11 Biology - KERALA
Plant Growth and Development
The chapter 'Plant Growth and Development' in Kerala SCERT Class 11 Biology explores the incredible journey of plant life from a single cell to a complex organism. It covers the indeterminate nature of plant growth, phases of growth, and quantitative comparisons. You will learn about differentiation, dedifferentiation, and redifferentiation, which explain how plant cells adapt and specialize. The chapter also details the five major plant growth regulators—auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, and abscisic acid—and their physiological effects. Finally, it introduces photoperiodism and vernalization, explaining how light and temperature control flowering, making it a high-scoring chapter in board exams.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Plant Growth
An irreversible, permanent increase in size of an organ or its parts, accompanied by an increase in dry weight.
Plasticity
The ability of plants to follow different pathways in response to environment or phases of life to form different kinds of structures, a phenomenon known as heterophylly.
Dedifferentiation
The living differentiated plant cells that lost the capacity to divide regain the capacity of division under specific conditions, such as interfascicular cambium formation.
Photoperiodism
The physiological response of plants to the relative lengths of light and dark periods (day length) expressed in terms of flowering.
Vernalization
The dependence of flowering either quantitatively or qualitatively on low temperature exposure to prevent precocious reproductive development late in the growing season.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Kerala (SCERT) Class 11 Biology examination, this chapter typically carries around 5 to 7 marks. Questions frequently include direct distinctions between arithmetic and geometric growth, functions of plant growth regulators (PGR bioassays), definitions of developmental processes like dedifferentiation, and short notes on photoperiodism and vernalization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation?
Dedifferentiation is when mature, differentiated cells regain the capacity to divide (e.g., formation of meristem). Redifferentiation is when these newly divided cells lose the capacity to divide again and mature to perform specific functions.
Why is plant growth said to be open?
Plant growth is open because plants retain the capacity for unlimited growth throughout their life due to the presence of meristems at certain locations.
Which hormone is known as the stress hormone in plants?
Abscisic acid (ABA) is known as the stress hormone because it increases plant tolerance to various kinds of stresses, particularly drought stress, by promoting stomatal closure.
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