Question

What is the main function of abscisic acid?

Answer 1

Abscisic acid:

1. Abscisic acid is a plant hormone discovered and purified by F.T. Addicott from potato tubers in the year 1963.
2. It is a growth-inhibiting hormone.
3. Abscisic acid causes dormancy in seeds and buds that's why it was formerly known as dormin.
4. It promotes ageing or senescence of leaves and in shedding of leaves.
5. Conditions like high temperature, salinity, drought etc. induce abscisic acid secretion and closure of stomata. That is why it is also known as the stress hormone.
6. It is antagonistic to gibberellins and cytokinins.
7. It induces the synthesis of ethylene.