Long-term responses - Behaviour of Plants

Plants alter their course of development to suit the prevailing environmental conditions. For example, leaf maturation and fall, onset of flowering and dormancy of seeds display some of the plant characteristics set in this way. Stress conditions may prepone or postpone the developmental processes. Abscisic acid levels in plant tissues increase under stress caused by nutrient deficiency or toxicity, salinity, chilling and water-logging resulting in reduced growth and metabolism. This can prepone or postpone flowering and seed set.