Before You Begin
Question #46819
The Question
In a temperate dicot stem, the seasonal shift from spring wood to autumn wood requires the vascular cambium to reduce its activity, effectively entering a G0-like quiescent state. If a targeted mutation maintains a high Cytokinin-to-Auxin ratio during autumn, preventing these cambial cells from entering the G0 phase, which of the following will be the most likely anatomical consequence?
Options
- A.
The cambium will produce late wood with exceptionally thick-walled, narrow vessels to survive the winter.
- B.
The continuous production of early-wood-like tissue with wide-lumen vessels will occur, rendering the vascular tissue highly susceptible to cold damage.
- C.
The secondary xylem will immediately differentiate into heartwood due to the rapid deposition of tannins and resins.
- D.
The interfascicular cambium will fail to form, resulting in an incomplete cambial ring and cessation of secondary growth.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Regulatory_Failure
Understand how NOT, EXCEPT, and logical constraints are used to manipulate exam results.
Concepts Behind This Question
Spring Wood|Autumn Wood|G0 Phase|Cytokinin-Auxin Ratio
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Integrating Plant Anatomy (seasonal cambial activity) with Cell Biology (G0 phase) and Plant Physiology (hormonal ratios).
Students often memorize 'spring wood = wide vessels' but fail to connect 'autumn wood formation' to the cell cycle's G0 phase arrest.
The trap lies in assuming a mutation in autumn would automatically trigger extreme winter survival mechanisms (Option A), whereas preventing G0 actually forces the plant to inappropriately continue spring-like growth.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Anatomy of Flowering Plants - Class 11 |
| Concept | Spring vs Autumn Wood |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |