Mechanics of plants refers to a subgroup of botany that checks on the functioning of plants. Other studies that are attached to this include: plant ecology which refers to the interaction between plants and their environment, plant morphology which is the structure of plants, cell biology, phytochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics.
Some of the areas that are covered under the mechanics of plants are: photosynthesis, plant nutrition, respiration, photoperiodism, tropisms, functions of plant hormones, nastic movements, circadian rhythms, photomorphogenesis, physiology of environmental stress, seed dormancy and germination, transpiration and the functions of stomata.
The study of mechanics of plants involves the internal activities studies of plants, the physical and chemical processes that are linked with the life of plants. The study ranges from small scale such as photosynthesis molecular interactions and the internal diffusion of nutrients, minerals and water to large scale which includes the plant’s processes of reproductive control, dormancy, seasonality, and development. Other groups of study under this include: phytochemistry which refers to plant’s biochemistry study and phytopathology which refers to the study of plant’s diseases.
BIOCHEMISTRY OF PLANTS.
The major chemical elements that make up a plant are carbon, hydrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, nitrogen among others. Despite the similarity of the chemical elements that make up plants, the plants produce varying chemical compounds having unique properties that are used by these plants to adapt to their environment. Humans extract pigments from plants that are used in the detection and absorption of light to use them for the manufacture of dyes. Some plant products are used in the manufacture of biofuels and rubber for commercial purposes. One of the most important plant compounds is the one used for pharmacological activities like salicylic acid that is responsible for the production of aspirin, digoxin and morphine.
PLANT HORMONES.
Plant hormones which can also be referred to as the plant growth regulators are plant’s growth regulating chemicals. They are chemicals that when produced in small amounts, they promote the growth, differentiation and the development of tissues and cells. Hormones affect very important plant processes such as flowering, seed development, germination and dormancy.
Some of the most important hormones in plants are: auxins, abscissic acid (ABA), ethylene, cytokinins and gibberellins.
PHOTOPERIODISM.
This refers to the response of plants to changes in the relative length of the day. A big number of flowering plants have a pigment phytochrome that has the purpose of sensing any changes in the length of the day. This leads to the classification of plants into short day, long day and day neutral plants.
NASTIC MOVEMENTS AND TROPISMS.
Plants tend to respond to different to different stimuli which can either be directional or non-directional. Tropism is the term used to refer to the response of plants to directional stimuli which include: sunlight and gravity. Nastic movements on the other hand refers to the response of plants to non-directional stimuli which include humidity and temperature.
PLANT DISEASES.
Phytopathology refers to the study of plant diseases and the manner of resistance or the manner in which the plants cope with the infection. The major causes of disease in plants are insect’s physical invasion, viruses, fungi and bacteria.
