A botanist compares a wild-type plant to two different mutant plants of the same species.One of the mutants is small and has fewer cells than the wild type.The other has the normal number of cells, though each cell is much smaller than the cells in the wild-type plant.Which hormones are likely to be missing or not functioning properly in these two types of mutants?
A) Cytokinins and gibberellins
B) Auxin and gibberellins
C) Ethylene and gibberellins
D) Gibberellins and brassinosteroids
E) Cytokinins and abscisic acid

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mutant with fewer cells is likely to have a deficiency in cytokinins, which promote cell division and growth. The mutant with smaller cells, on the other hand, may have a deficiency in auxins, which are responsible for cell elongation and expansion. Gibberellins are involved in stem elongation, but there is no clear indication that they are affected in these mutants. Ethylene is involved in leaf and flower senescence, and abscisic acid is involved in the regulation of plant growth under adverse conditions, neither of which are likely to be affected in these mutants. Brassinosteroids are involved in cell expansion and differentiation, but there is no clear indication that they are affected in these mutants.

A Botanist Compares a Wild-Type Plant to Two Different Mutant