Question

Look at this flower. Pretty crazy, eh? This is called fasciation, and may result from inappropriate proliferation of the meristem during early development in the embryo. If this did indeed start early in development, from the list below, which is the most likely cause?

An auxin maxima was established in the meristem resulting in unregulated cell divisions

Cytokinins were inappropriately mobilized to the flanks of the embryo where the cotyledons form

WUSCHEL activity became uncoupled from control by CLAVATA3

Cells in the hypocotyl region inappropriately interpreted their position as being the meristematic zone

Cell layers were duplicated because the cell layer producing SHORT-ROOT did not communicate with the cell layer producing SCARECROW

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Answer 1

Option second is correct. The plant hormone cytokinin (CK) is a key regulator of meristem size and functions. The effect of cytokinin on shoot apical meristem and root apical meristem are different. Cytokinin promote tissue differentiation in shoot apical meristem while inhibit in root apical meristem.