How do planted seeds know which was is up?

Question

How do planted seeds know which was is up?

In: 127

Answer 1

Short answer – seeds can feel gravity and they grow opposite to gravity. This is something we’re researching with our space stations and missions but the belief is that the force of gravity forces certain parts of the seeds’ cells to sink lower than other parts. This gives plants a sense of “down” and they orient their roots “down” and their stalks “up” as a reaction to this.