Circumnutation

A new study underlined the significant role circumnutations could play in plant growth patterns. 

---

Key Facts 

• It is an important physiological mechanism that helps plants adapt to their growth environments. 
• Circumnutation often seems random, with plants moving in unpredictable ways.
• Significance: It is an inherent behaviour across plant species, enabling  them to adapt to environmental conditions and maximise their growth. 
• It refers to the slow, repetitive, and often spiral movement observed in the growing tips of plants. For example, shoots, the self-organization of a sunflower, tendrils, roots, climbing plants etc. 
• This movement is caused by differential growth rates in different parts of the plant, particularly in the apical meristem, leading to a circular motion.
• Researchers found that sunflowers grown in a dense row naturally formed a near-perfect zigzag pattern, with each plant leaning away from the row in alternating directions.