Crop Growth and Development Flashcards

Which plant hormone is primarily responsible for promoting stem elongation and fruit development?

Answer: Gibberellin

Gibberellins promote cell elongation, stem growth, and fruit development in many crop species.

The process by which a plant converts light energy into chemical energy is called:

Answer: Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis uses sunlight, CO2, and water to produce glucose and oxygen in chloroplasts.

What is the term for the minimum number of days required for a biennial crop to complete its life cycle?

Answer: Juvenility phase

The juvenility phase is the early growth period during which plants are incapable of flowering, regardless of environmental conditions.

Which of the following best describes indeterminate crop growth habit?

Answer: Plant continues vegetative growth while flowering and fruiting simultaneously

Indeterminate plants like tomatoes and soybeans continue vegetative and reproductive growth concurrently throughout the season.

In corn (maize), the V6 growth stage refers to:

Answer: Six visible leaf collars

Corn vegetative stages are designated by the number of visible leaf collars, so V6 means six leaf collars are visible.

Root growth is primarily driven by cell division occurring in which zone?

Answer: Apical meristem

The apical meristem at the root tip is the primary site of cell division, driving root growth and elongation.

Which environmental factor most directly controls the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth in photoperiod-sensitive crops?

Answer: Night length

Photoperiod-sensitive crops respond to the length of the dark period (night) to trigger flowering at the appropriate season.