BRAINCAKESeed Germination
When the seed absorbs water the embryo is activated and produces gibberellins which switch on genes that code for amylases and proteases to break down food stores in the seed. In dicot seeds, the food stores are cotyledons and in monocots the food store is the endosperm. The embryo plant then produces ATP and grows and breaks through the seed coat (testa).
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Key terms in this lesson
- Hormone
- A chemical messenger, secreted directly into the blood by an endocrine gland, that travels to target cells and alters their activity.
- Gibberellin
- A plant hormone that stimulates stem elongation and the breaking of seed dormancy and germination.
- Abscisic acid
- A plant hormone that maintains dormancy and causes stomatal closure in response to water stress.
- ATP
- Adenosine triphosphate, the universal energy currency of cells, which releases energy for cellular reactions when hydrolysed to ADP and inorganic phosphate.
More in Plant Responses
- Plant Growth Responses
- Plant Hormones
- Apical Dominance
- Gibberellins: Synergy and Antagonism.
- Leaf Loss
- Flowering and Day-Length
- Preventing Freezing
- Stomatal Control
All 19 lessons in Plant Responses · All OCR A-level Biology topics