3.2 Define short day and long day plant according to: plants sense the duration of the dark period.
Short day plants, also known as long night plants or long day sensitive plants, are plants that require a relatively longer period of darkness (usually 14-16 hours) in order to flower or initiate other reproductive processes. These plants typically bloom when days are short and nights are long, such as during the fall or winter months.
On the other hand, long day plants, also known as short night plants or short day sensitive plants, are plants that require a relatively shorter period of darkness (usually less than 12 hours) in order to flower or initiate other reproductive processes. These plants typically bloom when days are long and nights are short, such as during the spring or summer months.
The ability of plants to sense the duration of the dark period is regulated by a pigment called phytochrome, which responds to changes in light. This allows plants to determine the optimal time for flowering or other developmental changes based on the length of day and night.