Question 16

Gibberellins were first discovered in Japan when rice plants were suffering from bakane (the foolish seedling disease) caused by a fungus Gibberella fujikuroi.
Give two functions of this phytohormone.

Which property of gibberellin caused foolish seedling disease in rice?

The hormone, gibberellin
(i) Produce the phenomenon of bolting, i.e., the growth of the interdonal region of stem in rosette plants.
(ii) Induces seed germination and break bud and seed dormancy.

The rice seedling/plant show excessive growth in their interdonal region when get infected with fungus Gibberella fujikuroi. This fungus produces excessive amount of plant hormone into death of the plant.