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daniel_i_l
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How do plants grow towards the sun?
Thanks.
Thanks.
daniel_i_l said:How do plants grow towards the sun?
Thanks.
The Light Side
Negative gravitropism leads plants to grow up out of the Earth but growth of the shoot directly toward the sun is even more advantageous to a photosynthetic organism. This response (photot- ropism) is apparently mediated by the shoot tip and has been mostly studied in coleoptiles (the sheath around cereal grain shoots). Unequal auxin distribution also seems to be involved, with auxin apparently transported away from the lighted side toward the darker side of the shoot. Since auxin stimulates cel elongation in shoots, this produces unequal growth on the two sides of the shoot and the shoot bends toward the light. Research has shown phototropism to be a re- sponse to blue light but the receptor is not wel established. The receptor is not a phytochrome, and experiments indicate that a likely candidate is a flavoprotein. Phototropic and gravitropic responses share several properties. A stimulus (light or gravity) leads to unequal distribution
daniel_i_l said:Thanks for the explanation.
I have noticed that the canes of my blackberries tend to grow away from the sun. They seem to prefer shade, which perhaps means an adaptation for growing in the direction toward moist soil, which would be out of the sun.Healey01 said:Does anyone know if there are plants that do not do this? It seems to be one of the "survival of the fittest" tests. Plants that have this property have a better chance of thriving, and thus take over. But it seems like there could be sections of the world that do not have this ability, either due to their location under the sun (equatorial), or some other reason.
Plants grow towards the sun in order to obtain the energy they need for photosynthesis. The sun's rays provide the necessary light energy for plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, which is used as a source of food.
Plants have a special hormone called auxin that helps them detect the direction of sunlight. When sunlight hits a plant, the auxin levels on the shaded side of the plant increase, causing cells to elongate and the plant to bend towards the light.
No, not all plants grow towards the sun. Some plants, like vines, have the ability to grow in any direction, while others, like sunflowers, have a fixed orientation towards the sun. This is due to their genetic makeup and how they have adapted to their environment.
If a plant does not get enough sunlight, it will not be able to carry out photosynthesis effectively and may become weak and stunted. It may also have difficulty producing flowers and fruits. Some plants have adapted to low light conditions, but most require a certain amount of sunlight to survive.
Yes, plants can grow towards artificial light sources, such as grow lights, if they provide the necessary wavelengths and intensity of light for photosynthesis. However, natural sunlight is still the best source of light for plants to grow towards as it contains the full spectrum of light that plants need.