Question

Removal of apical bud makes the plant grow
A) Tall
B) Bushy
C) Slow
D) Rapidly

Answer 1

Hint: Hormones like auxin, cytokinins, gibberellins, and abscisic acid help in the development of plants accordingly. Auxins involved in the growth towards the gravity away from the light, cytokinins involved in growth towards light, and gibberellins involved in cell enlargement.

Complete Answer:
- Auxin is a plant hormone that is involved in the growth regulation in plants. In the presence of auxin cell elongation in roots takes place. This hormone promotes the growth towards the gravity away from the light.
- It also plays an important role in the cell division process, development of fruits, inhibiting lateral branching, and leaf fall. As we have understood that auxin promotes the growth towards light against geotropism, therefore we assume that it moves from apical to basal end, that is its movement is largely basipetal.
- Now, the apical dormancy is a process in which the stem grows faster than the lateral branches. Apical buds form auxin hormones that promote apical dominance and stop the lateral bud growth.
- If the apical bud is removed, the auxin source is removed. Due to this, the lateral buds grow faster and make the plant bushy. The plant will grow tall if hormones are added in large quantities and grow slower if the auxin hormone is inhibited.

Thus, the correct answer is ‘B’ Bushy.

Note: The axillary bud is an organogenic shoot and is found in the axil of the leaf. If the lateral bud or branches are removed, the growth is channelled inside the terminal bud and the plant gets longer or taller.