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Plant reproduction: OCR A‑Level Biology B questions

Every OCR A-Level Biology B exam question on 4.4.1 Plant reproduction, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,889 questions

  1. Q23

    June 2025 · Paper 1

    1 mark4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1, question 23: A group of students were investigating the effect of temperature on the germination of cress seeds. Ten cress seeds were placed in a Petri-dish containing wet c

  2. Q1(a)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(a)(i): State the name of the structure labelled A in the diagram and state its function. Name Function [2]

  3. Q1(a)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(a)(ii): Outline how the structure labelled B is formed and state its function. Formation Function [2]

  4. Q1(a)(iii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(a)(iii): The article describes how the hormones ABA and GA regulate seed dormancy. Suggest how removal of the structure labelled C can reduce seed dormancy. [2]

  5. Q1(b)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    4 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(b)(i): Outline an experimental plan to investigate the effect of temperature on the germination of barley seeds. You do not need to include a risk assessment or detail

  6. Q1(b)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(b)(ii): State two environmental factors, other than temperature and oxygen concentration, that affect germination in barley seeds. 1 2 [2]

  7. Q1(b)(iii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    1 mark4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(b)(iii): Seed dormancy is usually the result of seeds being exposed to a period of cold. State the name of another process in plants that requires exposure to a period o

  8. Q1(c)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(c)(i): Explain one advantage for farmers of dormancy in cereal seeds. [2]

  9. Q1(c)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    4 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 1(c)(ii): Flooding of fields can lead to barley seeds failing to germinate, whereas rice seeds do germinate in flooded fields. Farmers often sow rice seeds in flooded fie

  10. Q10

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    1 mark4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 10: The flowers of the tree lupin, Lupinus arboreus, show typical adaptations for insect pollination. Which of the statements about the flowers of L. arboreus is /

  11. Q33(a)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    6 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 33(a)(i): Daylength is an environmental factor that affects flowering in plants. Hyoscyamus niger and Euphorbia pulcherrima are species of plant that show different flowe

  12. Q33(a)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    3 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 33(a)(ii): Explain how flowering plants monitor periods of light and dark. [3]

  13. Q33(a)(iii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    1 mark4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 33(a)(iii): Some plants are known as day-neutral because flowering is not affected by daylength. Suggest one environmental factor that could trigger flowering in day-neutra

  14. Q33(b)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 33(b)(i): Identify the structures labelled X and Z. Structure X Structure Z [2]

  15. Q33(b)(ii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 33(b)(ii): Describe what happens to structure Y during and after fertilisation. During fertilisation After fertilisation [2]

  16. Q33(a)(i)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 33(a)(i): State two conclusions that can be drawn from the data. 1 2 [2]

  17. Q33(a)(ii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 33(a)(ii): Describe how the method could have been improved to reduce random error. [2]

  18. Q33(a)(iii)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 33(a)(iii): Calculate the increase in percentage of seeds that germinated in blue light between 48 and 96 hours. Increase = % [2]

  19. Q33(a)(iv)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    2 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 33(a)(iv): The students processed their results and plotted a line graph to show the effect of light wavelength on cumulative percentage germination. State the labels give

  20. Q33(a)(v)

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    3 marks4.4.1 Plant reproduction
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 33(a)(v): One of the students suggested that weighing the petri dishes each day and calculating the mass of the seeds would be a better method of measuring germination th
All 33 questions on Plant reproduction, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 1, Q23 (1 mark): A group of students were investigating the effect of temperature on the germination of cress seeds. Ten cress seeds were placed in a Petri-dish containing wet c
  2. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(a)(i) (2 marks): State the name of the structure labelled A in the diagram and state its function. Name Function [2]
  3. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(a)(ii) (2 marks): Outline how the structure labelled B is formed and state its function. Formation Function [2]
  4. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(a)(iii) (2 marks): The article describes how the hormones ABA and GA regulate seed dormancy. Suggest how removal of the structure labelled C can reduce seed dormancy. [2]
  5. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(b)(i) (4 marks): Outline an experimental plan to investigate the effect of temperature on the germination of barley seeds. You do not need to include a risk assessment or detail
  6. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(b)(ii) (2 marks): State two environmental factors, other than temperature and oxygen concentration, that affect germination in barley seeds. 1 2 [2]
  7. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(b)(iii) (1 mark): Seed dormancy is usually the result of seeds being exposed to a period of cold. State the name of another process in plants that requires exposure to a period o
  8. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain one advantage for farmers of dormancy in cereal seeds. [2]
  9. June 2025, Paper 2, Q1(c)(ii) (4 marks): Flooding of fields can lead to barley seeds failing to germinate, whereas rice seeds do germinate in flooded fields. Farmers often sow rice seeds in flooded fie
  10. June 2023, Paper 1, Q10 (1 mark): The flowers of the tree lupin, Lupinus arboreus, show typical adaptations for insect pollination. Which of the statements about the flowers of L. arboreus is /
  11. June 2023, Paper 1, Q33(a)(i) (6 marks): Daylength is an environmental factor that affects flowering in plants. Hyoscyamus niger and Euphorbia pulcherrima are species of plant that show different flowe
  12. June 2023, Paper 1, Q33(a)(ii) (3 marks): Explain how flowering plants monitor periods of light and dark. [3]
  13. June 2023, Paper 1, Q33(a)(iii) (1 mark): Some plants are known as day-neutral because flowering is not affected by daylength. Suggest one environmental factor that could trigger flowering in day-neutra
  14. June 2023, Paper 1, Q33(b)(i) (2 marks): Identify the structures labelled X and Z. Structure X Structure Z [2]
  15. June 2023, Paper 1, Q33(b)(ii) (2 marks): Describe what happens to structure Y during and after fertilisation. During fertilisation After fertilisation [2]
  16. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(a)(i) (2 marks): State two conclusions that can be drawn from the data. 1 2 [2]
  17. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe how the method could have been improved to reduce random error. [2]
  18. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(a)(iii) (2 marks): Calculate the increase in percentage of seeds that germinated in blue light between 48 and 96 hours. Increase = % [2]
  19. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(a)(iv) (2 marks): The students processed their results and plotted a line graph to show the effect of light wavelength on cumulative percentage germination. State the labels give
  20. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(a)(v) (3 marks): One of the students suggested that weighing the petri dishes each day and calculating the mass of the seeds would be a better method of measuring germination th
  21. June 2022, Paper 1, Q33(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why oxygen is required for germination. [2]
  22. November 2021, Paper 1, Q29 (1 mark): Which of the statements, A to D, describes vernalisation in flowering plants? A Exposure to high temperatures for an extended time period to encourage flowering
  23. November 2020, Paper 1, Q28 (1 mark): Which of the biological events, A to D, results from the activity of gibberellins during germination? A synthesis of amylase in the aleurone B synthesis of amyl
  24. June 2019, Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): Which of the options, A to D, is the component of a cereal grain that contains starch? A aleurone layer B embryo C endosperm D seed coat Your answer [1]
  25. June 2019, Paper 2, Q4(e) (2 marks): Winter wheat seeds are usually sown in the autumn and flower the following summer. Seeds sown in the spring will usually not flower. The Russian geneticist Lyse
  26. June 2019, Paper 2, Q4(f) (3 marks): Chrysanthemums normally flower only in autumn. Commercial growers obtain flowers earlier in the year by growing the chrysanthemums in greenhouses where they can
  27. June 2019, Paper 2, Q7(a) (1 mark): Fig. 7 is a diagram of a maize plant showing the male and female flowers. male flowers tassel pollen grains elongated female flowers styles stigmas pollen grain
  28. June 2019, Paper 2, Q7(b) (3 marks): When maize pollen grains land on the stigma of a maize plant, a pollen tube grows towards the ovule. Describe the events that lead to the formation of the embry
  29. June 2018, Paper 1, Q26 (1 mark): Which of the options, A to D, would promote flowering in a short-day plant? A longer exposure to cold temperatures B longer exposure to darkness C shorter expos
  30. June 2018, Paper 2, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): Explain why cereals are staple foods in many African countries. [2]
  31. June 2017, Paper 1, Q14 (1 mark): Fertilisation in a flowering plant involves two pollen nuclei. The first nucleus fuses with the ovule and the second nucleus fuses with the polar nuclei. Which
  32. June 2017, Paper 3, Q2(a) (9 marks): (a)* Lettuce seeds require a minimum day length to stimulate germination. Studies have shown that treatment with gibberellins can stimulate germination without
  33. June 2017, Paper 3, Q2(b) (4 marks): A student is carrying out an experiment to determine the effect of a gibberellin, GA1, on the length of radicles (embryonic roots) of germinating pea seeds. Fig

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