NCERT Class 11 Biology Biology: Chapter 13 — Plant Growth and Development
This chapter, "Plant Growth and Development," delves into the fundamental processes that govern how plants grow and mature. It begins by defining growth as an irreversible, permanent increase in size, often accompanied by metabolic activities and energy expenditure. The text highlights that plant growth is generally indeterminate, meaning plants can grow throughout their lives due to the presence of meristems. These meristematic cells have the capacity to divide and self-perpetuate, leading to the addition of new cells and the formation of plant structures. The chapter introduces the concept of development as a combination of growth and differentiation, explaining how a zygote transforms into a complex plant body with various organs like roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. It also touches upon seed germination as the initial step in plant growth and the role of favorable environmental conditions. The chapter sets the stage to explore factors controlling these developmental processes, both internal and external to the plant, and introduces related concepts like differentiation, dedifferentiation, and redifferentiation. Understanding these concepts is crucial for comprehending plant biology and agricultural science within the CBSE curriculum.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 11 |
| Subject | Biology |
| Book | Biology |
| Chapter | Chapter 13 — Plant Growth and Development |
| Language | English |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 3 minutes |
| Word count | 590 |
Learning outcomes
- Define and explain the concept of plant growth.
- Understand that plant growth is generally indeterminate.
- Identify the role of meristems in plant growth.
- Define development as a sum of growth and differentiation.
- Recognize seed germination as the initial stage of plant growth.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Growth | An irreversible permanent increase in size of an organ or its parts or even of an individual cell. |
| Development | The sum of two processes: growth and differentiation. |
| Differentiation | The process by which cells or tissues undergo a change in form and function. |
| Meristems | Regions in plants containing actively dividing cells responsible for growth. |
| Zygote | A fertilised egg cell. |
| Seed germination | The process by which a seed sprouts and begins to grow. |
| Indeterminate growth | The capacity for unlimited growth throughout the life of an organism. |
| Anabolic processes | Metabolic processes that build complex molecules from simpler ones, requiring energy. |
| Catabolic processes | Metabolic processes that break down complex molecules into simpler ones, releasing energy. |
The complete chapter text is read in the official NCERT PDF viewer below (streamed from ncert.nic.in). This page provides NCERT Help study material — summary, vocabulary, practice questions, and FAQs — not a full reproduction of the textbook.
Read chapter online
This PDF is loaded from the official NCERT website (ncert.nic.in). Use the page buttons below to read — download is disabled on NCERT Help.
Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.
Practice questions
- How is growth defined in the context of living beings? Answer: Growth is defined as an irreversible permanent increase in size of an organ or its parts or even of an individual cell.
- What is unique about plant growth compared to animal growth? Answer: Plant growth is unique because plants retain the capacity for unlimited growth throughout their life (indeterminate growth).
- What is the role of meristems in plant growth? Answer: Meristems contain cells that can divide and self-perpetuate, leading to the addition of new cells and the growth of the plant body.
- What are the two main processes that constitute development? Answer: Development is the sum of growth and differentiation.
- What is the first step in the process of plant growth? Answer: The first step in the process of plant growth is seed germination.
Frequently asked questions
What is plant growth?
Plant growth is defined as an irreversible, permanent increase in size, often accompanied by metabolic processes and energy expenditure.
Why is plant growth considered indeterminate?
Plants have meristems, which are regions of actively dividing cells, allowing them to grow continuously throughout their life.
What is the relationship between growth and development in plants?
Development in plants is the sum of growth and differentiation, leading to a complex body organization from a zygote.
When does plant growth begin?
Plant growth typically begins with seed germination when favorable environmental conditions are met.
What happens if favorable conditions for growth are absent?
In the absence of favorable conditions, seeds enter a period of suspended growth or dormancy until conditions improve.
What are meristems?
Meristems are specialized tissues in plants composed of cells that can divide continuously, enabling growth.
Related resources
Important topics
Topics covered
NCERT Class 11 Biology — Biology — Chapter 13 — Plant Growth and Development. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.