Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): Decapitation (removal of shoot tips) is a widely applied technique in tea plantations and hedge-making. Reason (R): Removal of the apical bud relieves lateral buds from apical dominance, which is otherwise maintained by auxins synthesized in the shoot apex. In the light of the above statements, cho

Step-by-step solution

In most higher plants, the growing apical bud produces auxins which inhibit the growth of the lateral (axillary) buds. This phenomenon is called apical dominance. Decapitation, which is the removal of shoot tips, eliminates the main source of auxin. This relieves the lateral buds from apical dominance, allowing them to grow and form branches. Because this promotes branching, decapitation is widely applied in tea plantations and hedge-making. Therefore, both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, and Reason (R) i