Ashby's Law and the Pursuit of Plant Hormones: a Critique of Accepted Dogmas, Using the Concept of Variety

Abstract

A rule from the theory of the control of systems, Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety, is outlined and applied to the requirements of a message system that could specify the control of plant development. It is concluded that the recognized plant hormones have insufficient variety to function in this control. Some alternative systems are suggested where signalling messages with adequate variety might be found.