Question

Plasticity in plant growth means that _______
A. Plant roots are extensible
B. Plant development is dependent on the environment
C. Stems can extend
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Plant plasticity refers to the ability of a plant to adapt to and survive with changes in its environment. Unlike animals, which are able to actively move away to avoid challenges such as a predator or a changing climate, plants have acquired the ability to biosynthesize an unmatched formation of structurally compound bioactive natural compounds with specialized roles in order to cope with environmental challenges. The greatest chemical complexity is found in toxic defense compounds which plants deploy to deter herbivores and pests.

Complete answer:
(A) Plants' roots are extensible- Root growth is defined as the proportion to which a plant explores soil for water and mineral nutrients. Root growth is not known as plasticity.
(B) Plant development is dependent on the environment- Plant development is dependent on the environment and its factors related to the surrounding of the plant.
Plants take different paths in reaction to environmental changes and different stages of life to grow and develop various types of configurations. This ability of a plant is called plasticity.
(C) Stems can extend- Growth in plants happens as the stems and roots lengthen and grow. Some plants, especially those that are woody, also increase in girth during their entire life span. The increment in length of the shoot and the root is referred to as primary growth, and it is the result of cell division in the shoot apical meristem.

So, the correct answer is option (B).

The potential of an organism to change its phenotype in response to different environments and environmental adversities are termed as plasticity. It is a particularly essential characteristic to allow immobile plants to adapt to fast changes in their surroundings. Plasticity is a quantitative character that can give fitness dominance and diminish negative effects due to environmental apprehensiveness. This property can be studied at the level of the genome i.e., by analyzing epigenetic changes, the individual cell, and the organism during development of the embryo or changes in behavior in adults. Phenotypic plasticity is considered to be one of the important means by which plants can cope with environmental factor changes and varieties.

Note:
Physiological, morphological, and anatomical plasticity may have a dissimilar role in plant modification to environmental changes. In particular, plasticity for physiological and life-history characters may permit plants to grow and reproduce in spatially or temporally variable environments. Physiological plasticity is more linked to an enhanced capacity to colonize gaps and open areas.