Question

state the functions of plant hormones.name different types of plant hormones

Answer 1

Plant hormones are known as phytohormones in botanical terms. They are chemicals just like animal hormones that help in the growth, development, and functioning of plants. Like animals, plants too are living organisms that function as a unit. They carry out vital biochemical reactions that are required to survive. These biochemical reactions require hormones also known as 'plant growth substances'. These hormones help in the formation of leaves, flowers, stems, fruit, etc. They also help in determining the sex of the flowers, the color of the fruits, and leaves. They help in formation of tissues, respiration, energy production, and even plant longevity and death. Just as hormones are necessary for an animal body to function without any glitches, they too help the green living beings to survive normally. In this article, we shall cover some information related to these secretions and their functions.

What Are the types of Plant Hormones?

These hormones help in regulation of the plant body by responding to the various signals from the plant and environment. The hormones are regulated in different tissues during the different development stages. There are five major hormones which are auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, and ethylene. Each hormone differs in its effects. The auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins act as growth stimulators, whereas, abscisic acid and ethylene act as growth inhibitors. Plant hormones are simple in their structure as compared to those of animals or humans. There are no specific or specialized glands that produce these hormones. In fact, they are synthesized anywhere in the plant and act on any part as their target. Besides the hormones, there are many plant growth factors that affect the function and growth of plants.