Researchers from the University of Tasmania have provided new insights into auxin, a master plant hormone, and its vital role in starch production—the powerhouse of the world's most important crops.

Auxins are an important class of hormones that affect how plants grow and develop. The most common auxin in nature is called Indole-3 acetic acid – IAA for short. In plants, IAA affects cells ...

Just like phototropism, gravitropism is also caused by an unequal distribution of auxin. When a stem is placed horizontally, the bottom side contains more auxin and grows more - causing the stem ...

In a stem, the cells on the shaded side contain more auxin and grow longer than the cells on the light side. This causes the stem to grow towards the light. It is vital to note that the plant does ...