KS4 Plant Hormones

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KS4 Plant Hormones Learning Objectives

5.4.1 Control and coordination

Students should:

  • Know that plants produce hormones to coordinate and control growth and responses: to light, phototropism; and gravity, gravitropism (geotropism).
  • Know that unequal distributions of auxin cause unequal growth rates in plant roots and shoots.
  • Know that gibberellins are important in initiating seed germination. (HT only)
  • Know that ethene controls cell division and ripening of fruits. (HT only)
    (NB: the mechanisms of how gibberellins and ethene work are not required.)

5.4.2 Use of plant hormones

Students should:

  • Know that plant growth hormones are used in agriculture and horticulture.
  • Know how the everyday use of hormones as weedkillers has an effect on biodiversity.
  • Auxins are used as:
    - as weed killers
    - as rooting powders
    - for promoting growth in tissue culture.
  • Know that ethene is used in the food industry to control ripening of fruit during storage and transport.
  • Know that gibberellins can be used to:
    - end seed dormancy
    - promote flowering
    - increase fruit size

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