Why is not any one parameter good enough to demonstrate growth throughout the life of a flowering plant?

Growth in flowering plants is multifaceted—happening at cellular, organ, and whole‑plant levels—so one metric doesn’t capture the full picture.

Different life stages require different growth measures: cell division during germination, expansion in vegetative growth, and differentiation during flowering all involve distinct changes.

Organs grow in varied ways: roots and stems elongate, leaves expand in area, and fruits increase in volume and weight—so each organ demands unique parameters.

Growth involves increases in protoplasm, which can be monitored as fresh weight, dry weight, volume, surface area, length, or cell count—no single one suffices.

Spatial and temporal variability: growth rates differ across tissues and change over time, influenced by both development stage and environmental conditions.

Physiological aspects like photosynthesis, respiration, nutrient uptake, and regulation also contribute to growth and cannot be gauged by morphological measures alone.

Comprehensive assessment requires integrating multiple parameters (e.g., leaf area ratio, relative growth rate, biomass distribution) to understand growth dynamics