Laboratory Investigation #12
Growth and Development
Description of the Lab
This lab introduces the different growth patterns in plants; helps the students
distinguish between primary and secondary growth; and introduces the five major plant
Outline of Investigation
1. Anatomy of Growth
3. Hormones
Two fresh cut branches of a rose, glass beakers, IBA (auxin) based root stimulator
5. Ethylene and Fruit
2 green bananas, paper sac
Laboratory Materials and Equipment for Student Use:
Materials and Equipment
Per
Student
Per Pair of
Students
Per Lab
Group
Per
Room
Labels
2
12
Glass beakers, 200 ml
6
36
Bell jar
Paper bag
Living or Preserved Material
20 year old tree trunk, cs,
2
Coleus or periwinkle plant, potted
2
12
Preparation of laboratory Materials and Reagents
Three to four weeks prior to the lab
1. If you do not already have small pots of Coleus or periwinkle, plant those now
and keep watered until lab day.
1 day prior to the lab
1. Gather Coleus and Tilia slides and tree trunks.
On lab day
1. Cut stems from roses, Holly, etc.
2. Set up demonstration
Questions for Lab #12 Growth and Development
Use the knowledge you acquired in this lab exercise, along with information from your
textbook, to answer the following questions.
1. Define growth
Rose, elm)
Apple
1
Green bananas
4
yr., slides
1
15
2. What is the difference between primary and secondary growth?
Primary growth is the increase in length or vertical growth in plants and occurs at
3. What does protoderm develop into?
epidermis
4. What is the difference between primary and secondary phloem?
Procambium develops into the primary xylem and primary phloem while the vascular
5. In a 20 year old tree where would the primary phloem be found
6. What is the definition of development?
The orderly sequence of progressive changes in the life of an organism or cell
7. What is a hormone?
8. What are the 5 major plant hormones?
Abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, gibberellin
9. Which hormone is responsible for fruit ripening?
ethylene
10. What is the function of Abscisic Acid?