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The power of plant hormones: How do ethylene and gibberellins regulate plant aging?
In ecosystems, the aging process of plants plays a key role. Plant senescence is a complex and multifaceted process that involves not only the end of lifespan but also resource reuse and genetic evolution. The aging process of plants is affected by a variety of physiological factors, especially plant hormones; these hormones regulate the growth and aging process of plants in various ways. This article will take an in-depth look at the role and impact of two major plant hormones, ethylene and gibberellin, in plant senescence.
The concept and function of aging
The senescence process of plants, also known as plant aging, refers to the irreversible changes that occur over time during the growth of plants. On the one hand, chlorophyll degrades during the aging process of leaves, exposing other pigments, resulting in changes in leaf color in autumn; on the other hand, aging plants recycle nutrients, such as nitrogen, into young tissues or storage organs. This is Its unique resource reallocation strategy.
The regulatory role of plant hormones
Plant hormones play a vital role in the aging process, including hormones such as ethylene, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid, which are all aging accelerators.
Of these hormones, ethylene is particularly important. Studies have shown that mutants lacking the ability to sense ethylene often exhibit delayed signs of aging. In addition, research also shows that jasmonic acid and salicylic acid play different roles in different types of aging. The former is particularly prominent in stress-induced aging, while salicylic acid is more biased towards the process of developmental aging.
Survival Strategies for Annual and Perennial Plants
Annual plants live in the form of seeds and die at the end of each season, while perennial plants enrich their root systems through continuous growth and are more competitive.
Annuals and perennials use different strategies for colony survival. Annual plants focus on reproduction, while perennial plants retain a stable root system and resources for their own growth. Such strategies have pros and cons. Annual plants often rely on higher genetic diversity to adapt to the environment, while perennials have the advantage of overwintering and can start growing faster the following spring.
The theory of self-pruning of plants
Self-pruning of plants can be viewed as an efficient resource allocation strategy. When parts of leaves or roots are no longer effective, they are eliminated to allocate resources to more productive parts.
This theory explains how plants adjust themselves as they grow. For example, when certain leaves or roots fail to effectively absorb nutrients, the plant will automatically prune these parts and redistribute nutrients to the parts seeking growth, ensuring the survival and development of the entire plant.
The mechanism by which hormones promote aging
Although the research on plant senescence is still in its early stages, many scholars believe that the senescence process of plants is mainly caused by changes in growth hormone. The two hormones ethylene and abscisic acid are crucial to the leaf abscission and aging process. In particular, the vast majority of leaf abscission is considered to be closely related to ethylene production.
Effects of seed senescence
Seed senescence can lead to major changes in production strategies, and DNA damage and accumulation is one of the key factors.
For crops, the germination performance of seeds is an important production indicator, and age can lead to the accumulation of DNA damage. Studies have found that DNA damage in certain seeds in a dry environment will gradually increase as the storage time increases, which further affects their survival rate.
Looking at the aging process of plants, we understand how plants affect their own growth and aging stages through precise hormone regulation. At the same time, in this process, we also witnessed the evolution of different plant strategies and their survival wisdom. In the future, as science advances, how will we better use this knowledge to improve agricultural production and environmental protection?
