Ch. 33 Control Systems in Plants

Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition

Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook

Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th Edition

Ch. 33 Control Systems in Plants

Problem 21

Chapter 33, Problem 21

The discovery of auxin is a good example of how scientists build upon each other's work. For each of the three sets of researchers discussed in the chapter (the Darwins, Boyle-Jensen, and Went), write a one-sentence summary of what they discovered. If you were going to credit one person as being the 'discoverer' of auxin, who would it be?

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Start by understanding the contributions of each set of researchers: The Darwins, Boysen-Jensen, and Went. Each group made significant observations and experiments that contributed to the discovery of auxin.

Summarize the Darwins' work: Charles and Francis Darwin discovered that the tip of a plant shoot is responsible for sensing light and that this signal is transmitted to the lower part of the shoot to cause bending toward the light (phototropism).

Summarize Boysen-Jensen's work: Boysen-Jensen demonstrated that the signal from the tip of the plant is chemical in nature by using experiments with gelatin and mica to show that the signal could pass through gelatin but not through mica.

Summarize Went's work: Frits Went isolated the chemical substance responsible for the bending response by placing agar blocks under the tips of decapitated shoots and showing that the substance diffused into the agar and caused bending when applied asymmetrically to the shoot.

To determine who should be credited as the 'discoverer' of auxin, consider Went's work as the most definitive in identifying and isolating the chemical substance, but acknowledge that his discovery built upon the foundational work of the Darwins and Boysen-Jensen.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Auxin

Auxin is a plant hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development. It influences various processes such as cell elongation, root formation, and response to light and gravity. The discovery of auxin marked a significant advancement in understanding how plants respond to their environment and coordinate growth.

Scientific Collaboration

Scientific collaboration refers to the process by which researchers work together, building on each other's findings to advance knowledge. The contributions of different scientists, such as the Darwins, Boyle-Jensen, and Went, illustrate how collective efforts and shared insights can lead to significant discoveries, like that of auxin.

Historical Context of Discovery

Understanding the historical context of scientific discoveries is essential for recognizing how ideas evolve over time. The work of early researchers laid the groundwork for later findings, and acknowledging their contributions helps clarify the progression of scientific knowledge, particularly in the case of auxin's discovery.

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Textbook Question

A plant nursery manager tells the new night security guard to stay out of a room where chrysanthemums (which are short-day plants) are about to flower. Around midnight, the guard accidentally opens the door to the chrysanthemum room and turns on the lights for a moment. How might this affect the chrysanthemums? How could the guard correct the mistake?

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Textbook Question

A plant biologist observed a peculiar pattern when a tropical shrub was attacked by caterpillars. After a caterpillar ate a leaf, it would skip over nearby leaves and attack a leaf some distance away. Simply removing a leaf did not trigger the same change nearby. The biologist suspected that a damaged leaf sent out a chemical that signaled other leaves. How could this hypothesis be tested?

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Textbook Question

Imagine the following scenario: A plant biologist has developed a synthetic chemical that mimics the effects of a plant hormone. The chemical can be sprayed on apples before harvest to prevent flaking of the natural wax that is formed on the skin. This makes the apples shinier and gives them a deeper red color. What kinds of questions do you think should be answered before farmers start using this chemical on apples? How might the scientist go about finding answers to these questions?

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