Question

Growth can be measured in various ways. Which of these can be used as parameters to measure growth ?

• A. Increase in cell number
• B. Increase in cell size
• C. Increase in length and weight
• D. All the above

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

All the above

Answer 2

Growth, at a cellular level, is principally a consequence of increase in the amount of protoplasm. Growth is, measured by a variety of parameters such as (i) Increase in length, e.g., stem, root, pollen tube, (ii) Increase in volume e.g., fruits, (iii) Increase in area, e.g., leaves, (iv) Increase in diameter, e.g., tree trunks, fruits, (v) Increase in fresh or dry weight. One single maize root apical meristem can give rise to more than $17,500$ new cells per hour, whereas cells in a watermelon may increase in size by upto $3,50,000$ times. In the former, growth is expressed as increase in cell number; the latter expresses growth as increase in size of the cell.