Question

What is the difference between primary and secondary growth?

Answer 1

Plant growth:

1. Growth is defined as an organism's permanent, irreversible rise in size.
2. This characteristic is seen in all species and is accompanied by a number of metabolic processes.
3. In plants, seeds germinate and grow into new seedlings, which eventually mature into adult plants.
4. Plants continue to grow indefinitely.
5. There are two types of plant growth- primary and secondary growth.

Difference between primary and secondary growth:

Primary growth	Secondary growth
1. Cell division occurs at the apical meristem.	1. Cell division takes place in the lateral meristem.
2. Growth causes the plant's stem and root to grow in height.	2. Radial growth of the stem and root is the result of secondary growth.
3. Primary growth happens at the start of the plant's life cycle.	3. Secondary growth happens following primary growth.
4. This occurs in all the plants.	4. It occurs in angiosperms and gymnosperms.
5. The main growth of the procambium results in the formation of the primary xylem.	5. The secondary growth of the vascular cambium produces secondary xylem.
6. The fundamental vascular tissues, epidermis, and cortex are formed during initial growth.	6. The bark, periderm, lenticels, secondary phloem, and xylem develop during secondary growth.