CHEMICAL CO-ORDINATION IN

PLANTS
 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
• Growth means increase in size, which is the result
of an excess of anabolic activities over catabolic
activities
• Anabolism results in increase of protoplasm while
Catabolism results in breakdown of protoplasm
• Growth occurs when there are sufficient quantities
of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fats etc
• Growth begins at Meristems( Apical, Lateral,
Intercallary)
• The formation of new cells from meristems in growth
involves the process of Mitosis
 PHASES OF GROWTH
I. Divisional Phase : Formation of new
cells by Mitotic Division
II. Enlargement Phase: Newly formed cells
enlarge rapidly with well marked
lengthening of their wall
III. Maturation Phase: Cells later attain
maturity and form a part of the growing
organ of the plant
• Growth is the result of number of
physiological activities, that regarded as
culmination of all metabolic activities
• It involves absorption of water and
minerals, manufacture of food,
translocation of food, release of energy,
mitosis, regulating influence of hormones
etc
PLANT GROWTH
REGULATORS
 GROWTH REGULATORS
• The factors which are responsible for growth
called Growth Regulators (Growth Hormones or
Phytohormones)
• Organic compounds which are produced in small
quantities in some parts of the plant and used in
another part
• Phytohormones are of two types, Natural or
Synthetic
• They usually promote growth but on rare
occasions they even retard plant growth
 GROWTH
PROMOTERS
 GROWTH PROMOTERS

• Phytohormones which promote growth of

the plant called Growth Promoters
• These are classified under three main
heads, ie. Auxins, Gibberellins and
Cytokinins
AUXINS
 I. AUXINS
• Kogl and Thimann studied chemical nature of
Auxins
• They found out two important growth promoting
substances from human urine and named them
as Auxin-A and Auxin-B
• Kogl also isolated another Auxin from urine
called Heteroauxin which is very common in
plants
• Auxin isolated from fungus Rhizopus called IAA
( Indole Acetic Acid ) – Most abundant and
powerful, naturally occuring Auxin
 SYNTHETIC AUXINS
• Synthesized chemical substances whose
effects are similar to the effects of Auxins
called Synthetic Auxins (External
Hormones)
• Naphthalein Acetic Acid (NAA), Indole-
3-Butyric Acid (IBA), Indole-3-Propionic
Acid (IPA), 2,4 Dichloro Phenoxy Acetic
Acid (2,4-D) are some of the important
synthetic auxins
 SIGNIFICANCE OF SYNTHETIC AUXINS

1) NAA, IBA etc enhance rooting in the cuttings of

several stem vegetative propagules
2) 2,4-D acts as a weedicide ( Weed Killer )
3) NAA used as a foliar spray in plants like Cotton
to increase the yield
4) Parthenocarpy found to be induced by NAA
and IBA
5) Yield of Wheat found to be increased by NAA
and 2,4-D
 ROLE OF AUXINS
1. Apical Dominance – If the apical bud is active
it continues it’s growth while the lateral buds
are prevented from growth. This phenomenon
is called Apical Dominance. It is seen that auxin
formed at the apex is translocated downwards
and suppresses the growth of lateral buds
2. Formation of Roots – It is used in the field of
Agriculture and Horticulture to increase the root
formation from cut ends of stem
3. Cell Division and Cell Elongation
4. Parthenocarpy – It is the production of fruits
without fertilization and seed formation. This is
economically very valuable
5. Weedicide – It is used as a weed killer
6. Phototropic Movement of Plant Body
7. Positive Geotropic Movement of Root System
8. It prevents abscission (the natural detachment
of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe
fruit)
9. It promotes femaleness in some flowers and
suppresses maleness
GIBBERELLIN
 II. GIBBERELLIN
• Gibberellin was discovered for the first time
by Japanese scientist Kurosawa in 1926
from the fungus Gibberella fujikuroi
(Causative Organism of Bakanae Disease)
• In 1939 Yabuta and Hayashi isolated
Gibberellin in crystalline form
• It is a mixture of several different growth
promoters
• About 52 Gibberellin have been isolated
from different types of plants
 ROLE OF GIBBERELLIN
1. Cell Elongation – Different crop varieties
become very tall in comparison to normal
ones due to effect of Gibberellin
2. Boting - Bolting refers to the premature
production of flowering stems. It is a
natural attempt to boost seed production.
Bolting induced by Gibberellin
3. Parthenocarpy – Formation of seedless
fruits without pollination and fertilization
4. A mixture of Gibberellin and Anthesin act
as Florigen (Hormones which induce
flowering)
5. Help in the conversion of Biennial plants
to Annual plants
6. It icrease the size and number of fruits
7. It break the Dormancy of seeds, buds
and underground organs
8. Activation of fermentation during wine
formation
9. De novo synthesis of enzyme α-amylase
(De novo synthesis refers to the synthesis of
complex molecules from simple molecules
such as sugars or amino acids. α-Amylase
is a protein that hydrolyses the alpha bond
between polysaccharides).
10. Increases the size of leaves
CYTOKININ
 CYTOKININ
• The term Cytokinin was proposed by Letham in
1963
• These are the hormones which stimulate and
help in the Cell Division and Cytokinesis
• Kinetin and Zeatin are the chief cytokinins
• In 1955 Miller et al isolated Kinetin from the
Yeast DNA
• It is richly found in liquid endosperm of Coconut
• Zeatin was isolated from immature seeds of
Maize for the first time by Letham in 1963
 ROLE OF CYTOKININ
• Stimulate cell division (Miller et al. 1956)
• Induce cell enlargement (Arora et al. 1959)
• Break Dormancy (Khan. 1964)
• Cause Morphogenetic changes ( Skoog &
Miller. 1957)
• Counteract apical dominance of buds
(Wickson & Thimann. 1958)
• Increase the rate of Protein Synthesis
(Osborne. 1962)
• Delaying Senescence (Richmond &
Lang. 1957)
• Induce tuber formation (Palmer & Smith)
 GROWTH
INHIBITORS
 GROWTH INHIBITORS
• Growth inhibitors are regulating substances
which retard processes such as root and
stem elongation, seed germination, and bud
opening
• These regulators actively depress growth of
isolated stem sections and act as antagonists
to the plant hormones such as Auxin,
Gibberellin and Cytokinin
• Ethylene, Abscisic Acid, Morphactin etc are
examples for Growth Inhibitors
ETHYLENE
 I. ETHYLENE
• It is a volatile gas present in the
atmosphere as a component of smoke and
other industrial gases
• In plant cells, it is produced as a result of
metabolisms
• It is the only plant hormone which occurs
in the form of gas. Due to it’s gaseous it
can readily diffuse to cells
 ROLE OF ETHYLENE
• Helps in the ripening of unripe fruits, hence it is
called Ripening Hormones
• Stimulate the formation of abscission layer in
leaves, flowers and fruits
• Inhibits geotropism in stems
• Controls epinasty
(increased growth on the upper surface of an
organ or part, causing it to bend downward)
• Increases the number of female flowers and
decrease the number of male flowers
• Accelerate apical dominance
• Stimulate the formation of new roots
• Induces growth in underground stem and
seed germination
• Regulates growth of the cell wall
ABSCISSIC ACID
 ABSCISSIC ACID
• In 1965 Carns, Addicot, Wareing and
Cornforth speperated Abscissic Acid from
cotton fruits
• It is synthesized in the leaves from where
it is translocated to the stem apex through
phloem
 ROLE OF ABSCISIC ACID
• Helps in the Abscission of leaves
• Induces dormancy in seeds and buds, Thus inhibiting
growth of buds and seed germination
• Helps in reducing transpiration rates by closing
stomata
• Spoil chlorophylls, proteins, nucleic acids of leaves
making them yellow
• Inhibits cell division and elongation
• Promote Senescence in leaves (Senescence is the
process by which cells irreversibly stop dividing and
enter a state of permanent growth arrest without
undergoing cell death)
 SYNTHETIC GROWTH INHIBITORS
• Synthetic Chemical substances which
inhibit cellular metabolism and other
activities of the cells called Synthetic
Growth Inhibitors
Example:
Morphactins, Chlorocholine Chloride (CCC)
Maleic Hydrazide (MH)