Plant Growth and Movement Notes
Class 12 Biology Notes • NEB Syllabus 2083
Plant growth and movement notes for Class 12 Biology Unit 2 chapter 2.5: syllabus, micro syllabus, 30 solved multiple choice questions, all short and long answer questions on seed germination, dormancy, photoperiodism, senescence, abscission, vernalization and plant movements, and two PDF notes.
1. Plant Growth and Movement Syllabus
Unit 2: Plant Physiology (this page: chapter 2.5 Plant growth and movement)
These plant growth and movement notes follow the NEB Class 12 Biology syllabus (+2 Biology, Nepal), chapter 2.5 of Unit 2 Plant Physiology. Practise the multiple choice questions first, then work through the solved short and long answer questions, and finish with the PDF notes for quick revision.

Figure: Plant growth and movement notes, Class 12 Biology (NEB)
Micro syllabus: 2. Plant Physiology
Read more about plant hormones, seed germination and photoperiodism on Wikipedia. More notes: Class 12 Biology notes, Class 12 Chemistry notes and Class 12 Physics notes.
2. Plant Growth and Movement Notes: Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1. Naturally occurring auxin is
- a) IAA
- b) IBA
- c) NAA
- d) 2,4-D
Correct Answer: a) IAA
Reason: Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the natural auxin of plants. IBA, NAA and 2,4-D are synthetic.
Question 2. Auxin is transported from
- a) Root to shoot
- b) Shoot to root
- c) Stem to leaves
- d) Flower to fruit
Correct Answer: b) Shoot to root
Reason: Auxin is made in the shoot tip and moves basipetally (downwards) to the root.
Question 3. Who isolated auxin from the tip of Avena coleoptile?
- a) Skoog
- b) F.W. Went
- c) Kurosawa
- d) Richmond
Correct Answer: b) F.W. Went
Reason: Went collected auxin from Avena coleoptile tips on agar blocks. Kurosawa studied gibberellins.
Question 4. Which of the following is an effect of auxin?
- a) Abscission
- b) Ripening of fruit
- c) Apical dominance
- d) Delay of senescence
Correct Answer: c) Apical dominance
Reason: Auxin from the shoot apex stops the growth of lateral buds. Fruit ripening is an effect of ethylene.
Question 5. Development of seedless fruits, induced by auxins, is known as
- a) Bolting
- b) Abscission
- c) Dwarfism
- d) Parthenocarpy
Correct Answer: d) Parthenocarpy
Reason: Parthenocarpy is fruit formation without fertilisation, so the fruit is seedless.
Question 6. Which auxin is used in killing herbs?
- a) IAA
- b) IBA
- c) 2,4-D
- d) All of the above
Correct Answer: c) 2,4-D
Reason: 2,4-D is a synthetic auxin used as a weedkiller on broad-leaved weeds.
Question 7. Foolish seedling of rice is caused by
- a) Auxins
- b) Cytokinins
- c) Ethylene
- d) Gibberellins
Correct Answer: d) Gibberellins
Reason: The fungus Gibberella fujikuroi releases gibberellins, which make the rice seedling grow tall and weak.
Question 8. Which of the following is not an effect of gibberellins?
- a) Bolting
- b) Breaking dormancy
- c) Stomatal closure
- d) Synthesis of α-amylase
Correct Answer: c) Stomatal closure
Reason: Stomatal closure is caused by abscisic acid, not by gibberellins.
Question 9. A cytokinin, present in maize endosperm is
- a) Zeatin
- b) Zymase
- c) Morphine
- d) Naphthalene
Correct Answer: a) Zeatin
Reason: Zeatin was first isolated from immature maize (Zea mays) endosperm.
Question 10. Culture medium, treated with a higher concentration of auxin as compared to cytokinin, induces
- a) Flowering
- b) Fruit ripening
- c) Root development
- d) Abscission of leaves
Correct Answer: c) Root development
Reason: A high auxin to cytokinin ratio makes callus form roots. A high cytokinin ratio makes shoots.
Question 11. Leaves can be made fresh and green by treatment with cytokinins. This effect is
- a) Apical dominance
- b) Dwarfism
- c) Parthenocarpy
- d) Delay of senescence
Correct Answer: d) Delay of senescence
Reason: Cytokinins keep chlorophyll and proteins from breaking down, so the leaf stays green longer.
Question 12. Bolting refers to
- a) Rapid development of roots
- b) Rapid elongation of internodes
- c) Rapid production of flowers and fruits
- d) Pre-mature falling of leaves, flowers and fruits
Correct Answer: b) Rapid elongation of internodes
Reason: Bolting is the quick stem elongation of a rosette plant before flowering, caused by gibberellins.
Question 13. If cotyledons remain under the soil, the seed germination is said to be
- a) Epigeal
- b) Hypogeal
- c) Hypocotyl
- d) Epicotyl
Correct Answer: b) Hypogeal
Reason: In hypogeal germination the epicotyl grows and the cotyledons stay below ground.
Question 14. Main factor for seed germination is
- a) Air
- b) Moisture
- c) Temperature
- d) Sunlight
Correct Answer: b) Moisture
Reason: Germination starts with imbibition. Without water the enzymes stay inactive.
Question 15. Hypogeal germination is common in
- a) Monocots
- b) Dicots
- c) Mangrove plants
- d) Pteridophytes
Correct Answer: a) Monocots
Reason: All monocots show hypogeal germination. Among dicots only gram, pea and groundnut do.
Question 16. Rhizophora exhibits
- a) Hypogeal germination
- b) Epigeal germination
- c) Viviparous germination
- d) All of the above
Correct Answer: c) Viviparous germination
Reason: Seeds of this mangrove germinate inside the fruit while it is still on the parent plant.
Question 17. Seed dormancy refers to
- a) Failure of viable seeds in unfavorable environmental conditions.
- b) Failure of viable seeds in favorable environmental conditions.
- c) Failure of non-viable seeds in unfavorable environmental conditions.
- d) Failure of non-viable seeds in favorable environmental conditions.
Correct Answer: b) Failure of viable seeds in favorable environmental conditions.
Reason: A dormant seed is alive but does not germinate even when moisture, temperature and air are suitable.
Question 18. Leguminous seeds fail to germinate due to hard and impervious seed coats. It is known as
- a) Mechanical dormancy
- b) Physical dormancy
- c) Chemical dormancy
- d) Physiological dormancy
Correct Answer: b) Physical dormancy
Reason: A seed coat that is impermeable to water and gases causes physical (seed coat) dormancy.
Question 19. Flowering in plants, in response to the relative length of day and night, is known as
- a) Phototaxis
- b) Phototropism
- c) Photoperiodism
- d) Photosynthesis
Correct Answer: c) Photoperiodism
Reason: Garner and Allard (1920) discovered that the length of day and night controls flowering.
Question 20. For flowering in long day plants, the day should be of
- a) 8-10 hours
- b) 10-12 hours
- c) 14-16 hours
- d) 18-20 hours
Correct Answer: c) 14-16 hours
Reason: Long day plants need a light period of about 14-16 hours in 24 hours. 8-10 hours suits short day plants.
Question 21. Which of the following is a long day plant?
- a) Rice
- b) Coffee
- c) Radish
- d) Tomato
Correct Answer: c) Radish
Reason: Radish, wheat, cabbage and spinach are long day plants. Rice and coffee are short day plants and tomato is day neutral.
Question 22. A physiological process which causes ageing and the ultimate death of an organism is known as
- a) Parthenocarpy
- b) Imbibition
- c) Senescence
- d) Vernalization
Correct Answer: c) Senescence
Reason: Senescence is the deteriorative process that ends the functional life of an organ or organism.
Question 23. A process whereby flowering is promoted by a cold treatment given to a fully hydrated seed or to a growing plant is known as
- a) Parthenocarpy
- b) Imbibition
- c) Senescence
- d) Vernalization
Correct Answer: d) Vernalization
Reason: Vernalization is flowering induced by chilling, also called yarovization.
Question 24. During vernalization, germinating seeds are treated to
- a) 0-5 °C temperature
- b) 5-10 °C temperature
- c) 10-15 °C temperature
- d) 15-20 °C temperature
Correct Answer: a) 0-5 °C temperature
Reason: Germinating seeds are given cold treatment at 0 °C to 5 °C for days to weeks.
Question 25. Vernalization results in
- a) Shortening vegetative growth and delay in flowering
- b) Shortening vegetative growth and early flowering
- c) Longer vegetative growth and delay in flowering
- d) Longer vegetative growth and early flowering
Correct Answer: b) Shortening vegetative growth and early flowering
Reason: Cold treatment cuts short the vegetative period, so the plant flowers early.
Question 26. For vernalization, seeds should be
- a) hydrated and viable
- b) dehydrated and viable
- c) hydrated and non-viable
- d) dehydrated and non-viable
Correct Answer: a) hydrated and viable
Reason: Dry seeds do not respond to cold. The seed must be alive, swollen with water and respiring.
Question 27. Plant movement, independent of external stimuli, is said to be
- a) Autonomic
- b) Paratonic
- c) Tectonic
- d) Induced
Correct Answer: a) Autonomic
Reason: Autonomic (spontaneous) movements arise from inside the plant. Paratonic movements are induced by stimuli.
Question 28. Autonomic movement of variation is shown by
- a) Tendrils in climbers
- b) Leaves in Desmodium
- c) Leaves in Mimosa pudica
- d) Insectivorous plants
Correct Answer: b) Leaves in Desmodium
Reason: The lateral leaflets of Desmodium gyrans show turgor movements without any stimulus.
Question 29. Directional and irreversible growth in plants in response to an external stimulus is known as
- a) Taxis
- b) Tropism
- c) Nasty
- d) Turgor movement
Correct Answer: b) Tropism
Reason: A tropic movement is a growth curvature whose direction depends on the direction of the stimulus.
Question 30. Folding of leaves of the Touch-me-not plant is the best example of
- a) Nyctinasty
- b) Thermonasty
- c) Thigmonasty
- d) Seismonasty
Correct Answer: d) Seismonasty
Reason: Mimosa pudica leaves fold on shock or touch. This is the seismonastic movement.
3. Plant Growth and Movement Notes: Short and Long Answer Questions
Plant Growth and Movement Notes: Short Answer Questions
Phytohormones (plant growth regulators) are organic chemical substances made in very small amounts in one part of a plant. They move to other parts, where they control growth, development and other physiological processes.
Features:
Apical dominance is the control of the apical bud over the lateral (axillary) buds, so that the main stem grows and the side buds stay inactive.
Bolting: It is the sudden, rapid elongation of internodes just before flowering in plants with a rosette habit. Gibberellins cause it. Examples: cabbage, sugar beet.
Parthenocarpy: It is the development of fruit without fertilisation, so the fruit is seedless. Auxins and gibberellins can induce it. Examples: banana, grapes, seedless watermelon, tomato.
Photoperiodism is the response of plants to the relative length of day and night. On this basis plants are of three types:
| Type | Requirement | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Short day plants (SDP) | Short day (8-10 hours) and a long continuous dark period (14-16 hours) | Rice, coffee (also soybean, tobacco, chrysanthemum) |
| Long day plants (LDP) | Long day (14-16 hours in 24 hours) | Wheat, radish (also cabbage, sugar beet, spinach) |
| Day neutral plants (DNP) | Flower in any photoperiod from 5 to 24 hours | Tomato, cotton (also sunflower, cucumber, pea) |
| Short day plant | Long day plant |
|---|---|
| Flowers when the photoperiod is less than the critical day length. | Flowers when the photoperiod is more than the critical day length. |
| Interrupting the light period with darkness does not stop flowering. | Interrupting the light period with darkness stops flowering. |
| Flowering is inhibited if the long dark period is broken by a flash of light. | Flowering occurs if the dark period is broken by a flash of light. |
| A long, continuous, uninterrupted dark period is critical. | The dark period is not critical; the light period is. |
| Also called long night plants (e.g., rice, coffee). | Also called short night plants (e.g., wheat, radish). |
Senescence is the deteriorative process that naturally ends the functional life of an organ, organism or other living unit. Its metabolism is catabolic and finally irreversible, and it ends in death. Example: leaf fall in coconut; death of the whole wheat plant after fruiting.
Significance:
Abscission is the shedding of leaves, flowers and fruits from the plant. It takes place at the abscission zone (abscission layer) at the base of the petiole. There the middle lamella and cell walls dissolve under the action of pectinase and cellulase, and the part falls by its own weight or wind. A corky layer then heals the wound.
Significance:
Vernalization (yarovization) is the promotion of flowering by cold treatment (0-5 °C) given to a fully hydrated seed or to a growing plant. Dry seeds do not respond. The plant is thought to form a hormone called vernalin.
Significance:
Plant Growth and Movement Notes: Long Answer Questions
In tissue culture:
In agriculture:
Germination is the irreversible process in which the embryo of a seed becomes active and grows into a seedling. It needs water, a suitable temperature, oxygen and, for some seeds, light. It has these steps:
Types: in hypogeal germination (all monocots, gram, pea) the epicotyl grows and the cotyledons stay in the soil. In epigeal germination (bean, castor, sunflower, cucumber) the hypocotyl grows and lifts the cotyledons above the soil. In viviparous germination (Rhizophora) the seed germinates inside the fruit on the parent plant.
Factors (types) of seed dormancy:
Advantages:
Autonomic movements happen without any external stimulus. Autonomic growth movements are due to unequal growth in different parts of an organ. They are irreversible. They are of four types:
The other autonomic movements are movements of variation (turgor changes, reversible, e.g., leaflets of Desmodium gyrans).
Paratonic (induced) movements are movements caused by an external stimulus such as light, gravity, touch or temperature. They are of two types:
Tropism is a directional, slow and irreversible growth movement of a plant organ, caused by an external stimulus. The response is towards the stimulus (positive) or away from it (negative). It is seen in organs of radial symmetry such as the shoot and root.
| Type | Stimulus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Phototropism | Light | Stem bends towards light (positive); root grows away (negative) |
| Geotropism | Gravity | Primary root grows down (positive) |
| Hydrotropism | Water | Roots bend towards water |
| Chemotropism | Chemicals | Pollen tube grows through the style towards the embryo sac |
| Thigmotropism | Contact | Tendrils coil round a support |
| Thermotropism | Temperature | Plant parts curve towards a normal temperature |
Nastic movements are quick, turgor-based movements in dorsiventral organs. The direction of response is fixed by the organ, not by the direction of the stimulus.
4. Plant Growth and Movement Notes PDF
PDF Notes 1: Plant Physiology (Unit 2)
PDF Notes 2: Plant Growth and Movement (Chapter 2.5)
5. Plant Growth and Movement: Frequently Asked Questions
What is plant growth and movement? (Plant growth and movement notes)
What are the types of seed germination?
What is seed dormancy and why is it useful?
What is photoperiodism?
Which are examples of short day, long day and day neutral plants?
What is vernalization?
What is the difference between senescence and abscission?
What is the difference between tropic and nastic movements?
What are autonomic movements?
Where can I download Plant growth and movement notes PDF for Class 12 Biology?
Is this Class 12 Biology book PDF for Nepal NEB?
Where can I find the Plant physiology Class 12 notes PDF free download?
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