Researchers Learn What Sparks Plant Growth
Posted on March 17, 2007 Comments (3)
Researchers Learn What Sparks Plant Growth:
“How do organisms decide when to grow and when to stop growing? These questions are especially important in plants because they are rooted in the ground and must alter their shape and size in response to their local environment. Thus, it’s a question of survival,” added Chory. “It took us 10 years to develop the tools to ask the question. It is very satisfying for me to see the results.”
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“It’s been a matter of some debate for a very long time if one of these tissue layers controls plant growth or if all three layers have to work together,” Chory said. “Our paper shows very clearly that the epidermis is in control—in both driving and restricting growth. In addition, our studies show that the cells in the epidermis “talk” to the cells in the inner layers, communicating that they too should expand.”
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“It’s been a matter of some debate for a very long time if one of these tissue layers controls plant growth or if all three layers have to work together,” Chory said. “Our paper shows very clearly that the epidermis is in control—in both driving and restricting growth. In addition, our studies show that the cells in the epidermis “talk” to the cells in the inner layers, communicating that they too should expand.”
In January we had a long stretch of warm weather. Shoots for early blooming flowers sprouted in my front yard. Then we had about 6 weeks of winter weather. I was wondering how the flowers would do (they do fine with a few days of freezing weather after sprouting – since they have evolved to bloom early). They did fine, photo above (by John Hunter, March 11th).
Related: More Nutritious Wheat – What Are Flowers For?
Posted by curiouscat
Categories: Life Science, Research, Science, Students
Tags: plants, science explained, science facts
Categories: Life Science, Research, Science, Students
Tags: plants, science explained, science facts
3 Responses to “Researchers Learn What Sparks Plant Growth”
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October 19th, 2008 @ 9:09 am
“when the leaf of a plant is under attack by a pathogen, it can send out an S.O.S. to the roots for help, and the roots will respond by secreting an acid that brings beneficial bacteria to the rescue…”
March 9th, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
[…] What Sparks Plant Growth – What Are Flowers For? – Curious Cat Science Search by curiouscat Tags: Students […]
April 18th, 2012 @ 8:19 am
[…] full press release – Researchers Learn What Sparks Plant Growth – Science and the Excitement, the Mystery and the Awe of a Flower – Norman E. Borlaug […]