Texas A&M University (TAMU) HORT 201 Horticultural Science and Practices Exam 1 Practice

Bud differentiation is the process by which a meristematic bud receives signals and then develops into a specific type of organ—leaf, flower, or shoot—based on cues from hormones, day length, temperature, and other environmental factors. This is why the idea that a bud’s fate is determined by cues to become a leaf, a flower, or a shoot is the best description: it captures the plant’s ability to switch growth outcomes in response to internal and external signals. In contrast, forming roots only isn’t typical for a bud’s fate, leaves-only is too restrictive since buds can become flowers or entire shoots, and buds are growth points that enable development rather than inherently preventing growth.