GENERAL BOTANY ASSIGNMENT

LORICO, ROMMEL PATRICK D.

BSE III-2 GEN. SCIENCE MAJOR

TROPISM

A tropism from the Greek word tropos that means turning" is a

biological phenomenon, indicating growth or turning movement of a
biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an
environmental stimulus. In tropisms, this response is dependent on the
direction of the stimulus (as opposed to nastic movements which are non-
directional responses). Viruses and other pathogens also affect what is called
"host tropism", "tissue tropism", or "cell tropism", or in which case tropism
refers to the way in which different viruses/pathogens have evolved to
preferentially target specific host species, specific tissue, or specific cell
types within those species. Tropisms are usually named for the stimulus
involved (for example, a phototropism is a reaction to sunlight) and may be
either positive (towards the stimulus) or negative (away from the stimulus).
Tropisms are typically associated with plants (although not necessarily
restricted to them). Where an organism is capable of directed physical
movement (motility), movement or activity in response to a specific stimulus
is more likely to be regarded by behaviorists as a taxis (directional response)
or a kinesis (non-directional response).
In botany, the CholodnyWent model, proposed in 1927, is an early model
describing tropism in emerging shoots of monocotyledons, including the
tendencies for the stalk to grow towards light (phototropism) and the roots to
grow downward (gravitropism). In both cases the directional growth is
considered to be due to asymmetrical distribution of auxin, a plant
growth hormone.

Aerotropism - growth of plants towards or away from a source of oxygen

Chemotropism - movement or growth in response to chemicals
Electrotropism - movement or growth in response to an electric field
Exotropism - continuation of growth "outward," i.e. in the previously established
direction
Geotropism (or gravitropism) - movement or growth in response to gravity
Apogeotropism - negative geotropism
Heliotropism - diurnal motion or seasonal motion of plant parts in response to the
direction of the sun, (e.g. the sunflower)
Apheliotropism - negative heliotropism
Hydrotropism - movement or growth in response to water
Prohydrotropism - positive hydrotropism
Hygrotropism - movement or growth in response to moisture or humidity
Magnetotropism - movement or growth in response to magnetic fields
Orthotropism - movement or growth in the same line of action as the stimulus.
Plagiotropism - movement or growth at an angle to a line of stimulus such as
gravity or light.
Phototropism - movement or growth in response to lights or colors of light
Aphototropism - negative phototropism
Skototropism - negative phototropism of vines
Thermotropism - movement of growth in response to temperature
Thigmotropism - movement or growth in response to touch or contact in viruses
Amphotropism - wide host range (e.g. infects many species or cell types)
Ecotropism - limited host range (e.g. infects only one species or cell type)
HIV tropism - the means of entry into cells used by a given strain of HIV
Neurotropism - a virus that preferentially infects the host's nervous system.