INVESTIGATORY PROJECT- BIOLOGY

2022-2023

STUDY OF APICAL
DOMINANCE IN THE
POTATO AND COLEUS

Submitted by:
Name: Kaushik s Yadav
Grade: 12th
Batch:5
 Date of Submission:

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

This is to certify that Kaushik s yadav of class XII has successfully completed the
Investigatory Project on the topic “study of apical dominance in potato and coleus”
under the guidance of MS HARINI

for the academic year 2022-2023 in the fulfilment of the

DATE: ________________
PLACE: ________________

Signature of Signature of Signature of

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I convey my deep thanks to MS Harini. Without whose
guidance this project would have become nothing. Last but not the least
I deeply acknowledge the help given to me by my classmates whose
valuable tips and suggestions helped me bring about such a project. I am
deeply indebted to them for also helping me collect the relevant
information from many sources and providing many diagrams required
to emphasize my points.
 INDEX
Sl. No. Content Page No.
1. INTRODUCTION 5
2. HYPOTHESIS 6
3. THEORY 6
4. MATERIALS REQUIRED 8
5. PROCEDURE 8
6. OBSERVATION 9
7. CONCLUSION 12
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12
INTRODUCTION:
Apical dominance is a fundamental physiological phenomenon in
plants, governing the growth and development of shoots and branches.
It refers to the inhibitory effect exerted by the terminal bud (apex) on
the growth of lateral buds, thereby regulating the overall architecture
of the plant. This regulatory mechanism plays a crucial role in
optimizing resource allocation, ensuring efficient energy utilization, and
adapting to environmental conditions.
The study of apical dominance in different plant species provides
valuable insights into the underlying hormonal and genetic mechanisms
that control shoot branching. In this investigation, we focus on two
distinct plant species: Potato (Solanum tuberosum) and Coleus
(Plectranthus scutellarioides), to explore and compare the patterns of
apical dominance exhibited by these plants.
Potato, a member of the Solanaceae family, is not only an important
global food crop but also serves as a model organism for studying
various aspects of plant physiology. Understanding apical dominance in
potato can contribute to agricultural practices by optimizing crop yield
and resource utilization.
Coleus, on the other hand, belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is
valued for its ornamental foliage. While its economic importance may
not parallel that of potato, Coleus serves as an excellent model for
exploring apical dominance in horticultural and decorative plant
species.

HYPOTHESIS:
Potato:
Hypothesis: There is no significant difference in the degree of apical
dominance between intact potato plants and those with the apical bud
removed.
Coleus:
Hypothesis: Apical dominance in Coleus is not influenced by the
removal of the apical bud, and lateral bud growth remains consistent
regardless of apical bud status.

THOERY:
The principal aspects of the study include:
1. Experimental Design:
Treatment Groups: Divide the plants into experimental groups,
including intact plants with the apical bud, plants with the apical bud
removed, and control groups.
Replication: Ensure an adequate number of replicates to enhance the
statistical validity of the results.
2. Hormonal and Genetic Factors:
Measurement of Hormone Levels: Analyze the concentrations of key
plant hormones, such as auxins and cytokines, to understand their role
in apical dominance.
Gene Expression Analysis: Investigate the expression of genes
associated with shoot development and branching to identify genetic
factors influencing apical dominance.

3. Morphological Observations:
Lateral Bud Growth: Measure and compare the development of
lateral buds in response to the presence or absence of the apical bud.
Shoot Length and Architecture: Assess overall shoot growth, length,
and branching patterns in both intact and treated plants.

4. Physiological Changes:
Photosynthetic Rate: Examine changes in photosynthetic activity in
response to apical bud removal, considering its impact on resource
allocation.
Stress Response: Evaluate how the removal of the apical bud
influences the plant's stress response and adaptive mechanisms.
MATERIALS REQUIRED:
 3 pots with soil
 Potato tubers
 Three potted coleus plant
 Knife
 Agar block
 Indoleacetic acid(IAA)
 Measuring tape
 Beaker
 Water

PROCEDURE:
Take three pots with moist soil in each and label them as A,B,C and D.
Sow one potato tuber in each pot and allow the potatoes to grow for
about 30 days. Water the pots at regular intervals so that they do not
get dried. When potato plants are 8-10cm high, remove the tips of the
plant growing in pots B, C and D. leave the plant of pot B as such.
Place agar block at the cut shoot of the plant in pot C and agar block
containing IAA on the cut shoot of the plant in pot D. keep the plant pot
A with tips intact to serve as control. Repeat the experiment in the
same way with coleus plants in the pot.

OBSERVATION:
Observe the growth of the plants in the following table
S.no Plants Height of the plants No. of lateral branches after
after(cm) (cm)
5 days 10day 15days 20days 5 days 10days 15days 20days
s
Potato plants
1 A(control) 1 1.4 1.9 2.4 1.2 2.4 5.0 6.9
2 B 1.2 1.9 2.5 3.2 1.5 3.2 5.1 7.1
3 C 0.9 1.7 2.4 3 1.1 3 5.7 8
4 D 0.5 1.4 2.2 2.9 1.4 3.3 6.1 8.4
Coleus plants
5 A(control) 0.4 2.5 4 5.3 1.7 2.4 3.6 5.9
6 B 0.6 2.7 4.7 5.9 1.6 2.9 4 6.6
7 C 0.5 2.6 4.2 6 1.5 2.7 3.8 6.1
8 D 0.8 3 5 7 1.4 2.9 4.9 7.7
CONCLUSION:
The growth of lateral buds remain suppressed in plants with intact
apical bud. The growth of lateral buds also remain suppressed in
decapitated plant having agar block with IAA at the cut end. It is
because IAA (auxin) present in the agar prevents the growth of lateral
buds. The decapitated plants show rapid growth of the lateral buds and
give bushy appearance.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
https://study.com/
https://www.wikipedia.org/
https://egyankosh.ac.in/