Which plant hormone is primarily responsible for inducing seed dormancy, inhibiting growth, and mediating responses to environmental stress such as drought?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Abscisic acid is a major plant growth inhibitor that promotes seed dormancy, prevents premature germination, and triggers rapid stomatal closure during water stress. Auxins promote cell elongation, gibberellins stimulate stem elongation and seed germination, and cytokinins drive cell division. The antagonistic balance between abscisic acid and gibberellins controls seed dormancy.