Development in Plants
Development is defined as the series of changes that an organism undergoes throughout its life cycle, starting from seed germination and continuing to senescence. In this context, development includes both growth and differentiation processes, leading to the creation of various structure types in plants. The development of plants is characterized by:
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Plasticity: Plants exhibit the ability to change their growth patterns based on environmental conditions, such as light and water. For example, plants may have different leaf shapes (heterophylly) in juvenile versus mature stages or when grown in water versus air.
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Integration of Growth and Differentiation: Development involves coordinated growth (an irreversible increase in size) and differentiation (the process through which generic cells become specialized in structure and function). Both processes are influenced by intrinsic factors like genetics and hormones, and extrinsic factors such as temperature, light, and moisture.
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Control Mechanisms: The development of plants is regulated by various plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins, which interact to promote or inhibit growth activities.
In summary, development is a complex and flexible process that allows higher plants to adapt to their environment and fulfill their life cycle efficiently.