Continuous growth of plants throughout their life is due to

Options

A. Mitotic division in the apical meristem and the lateral cambium
B. Mitotic division in primary permanent tissues
C. Production of seeds
D. Photosynthetically active cells only

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Continuous Growth in Plants**:
- Plants exhibit continuous growth throughout their life due to specific tissues that are capable of cell division. This growth can be observed in both the roots and stems of the plants.

2. **Identifying the Key Tissues**:
- The tissues responsible for this continuous growth are known as meristematic tissues. These tissues are undifferentiated and can divide continuously.

3. **Types of Meristematic Tissues**:
- There are two main types of meristematic tissues that contribute to plant growth:
- **Apical Meristem**: Located at the tips of roots and stems, responsible for primary growth (lengthening).
- **Lateral Cambium**: Responsible for secondary growth (thickening) in stems and roots.

4. **Analyzing the Options**:
- The options provided are:
1. Mitotic division in apical meristem and lateral cambium
2. Mitotic division in primary permanent tissue
3. Production of seeds
4. Photosynthetically active cells
- Among these, the first option (mitotic division in apical meristem and lateral cambium) is the most relevant to continuous growth.

5. **Eliminating Incorrect Options**:
- **Mitotic division in primary permanent tissue**: This is incorrect because permanent tissues do not divide; they are differentiated tissues.
- **Production of seeds**: This is not related to continuous growth; it is a reproductive process.
- **Photosynthetically active cells**: While these cells are important for photosynthesis, they do not contribute to the continuous growth of the plant.

6. **Conclusion**:
- The correct answer is the first option: **Mitotic division in apical meristem and lateral cambium**. This is because these tissues are responsible for the ongoing growth of plants throughout their life.