Q.What do you understand by Photoperiodism and Vernalisation? Describe their significances. OR Draw schematic representation of the various steps of glycolysis. How is glycolysis different from citric acid cycle ?
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Photoperiodism is the response of flowering to relative day/night length (perceived by leaves via the phytochrome pigment); vernalisation is the requirement of a period of low temperature before a plant can flower. Both are timing mechanisms that synchronise flowering with the most favourable season.
Photoperiodism
Many plants flower only when they experience a day length (photoperiod) that is above or below a critical value. Based on this response, plants are classified as:
- Short-Day Plants (SDP): flower when day length is shorter than a critical duration (e.g., Chrysanthemum, tobacco).
- Long-Day Plants (LDP): flower when day length is longer than a critical duration (e.g., spinach, radish).
- Day-Neutral Plants (DNP): flowering unaffected by day length (e.g., tomato, cotton).
The photoperiod is perceived by the leaves, not the shoot apex, and the pigment phytochrome is responsible for sensing red/far-red light and thereby the length of darkness (it is really the length of the uninterrupted dark period, not the light period, that is critical).
Significance of Photoperiodism
- Ensures that flowering occurs in the season most suited to pollination, fertilization and seed dispersal for that species.
- Synchronises flowering across an entire population of the same species, improving chances of cross-pollination.
- Allows a plant to 'anticipate' seasonal change using day length, which (unlike temperature) is a completely reliable seasonal cue.
Vernalisation
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