Question

The fruits can be left on the tree longer using GA so as to extend the market period. This is due to which function of GA?
A. Bolting
B. Delaying senescence
C. Internodal elongation
D. Inducing parthenocarpy

Answer 1

Hint: The term GA stands for gibberellins. Gibberellins is a type of plant growth regulator. The plant hormone gibberellin plays an important role in the regulation of growth and development of the plant and other important behavioural processes.

Complete answer:
The signal molecules produced within the plant in extremely low quantity which is required for the proper growth and development of the plant are called plant hormones. Different classes of plant hormones are abscisic acid, auxins, cytokinin, ethylene, gibberellin, salicylic acid and many more. The plant hormone gibberellin is used for agriculture and horticulture.

Gibberellins are also called GAs. The role of gibberellin is to elongate the cells in a plant during its development period. They also regulate various functions such as flower development, germination, dormancy, flowering, and fruit senescence. Plant hormone gibberellin is used for commercial purposes such as delaying the ripening of fruit. GA7 is a type of gibberellin which is used to delay the senescence so that the plants can be left for a longer period of time on the trees. This helps in extending the period of marketing.

One of such examples is the ripening of the citrus fruit can be delayed with the use of gibberellin and can be stored for a longer period. Therefore, the delaying senescence function of gibberellin makes it possible to leave the fruits on the tree for a longer time in order to extend the market period.

So, option B is the correct answer.

Note: Each cell of the plant is capable of producing plant hormone. GA3 was the first gibberellic acid which was the first gibberellin to be structurally characterized. Chemically gibberellins are tetracyclic diterpene acids.