What term describes a state of inactivity in plants due to unfavorable conditions?

The term that describes a state of inactivity in plants due to unfavorable conditions is dormancy. Dormancy is a survival strategy employed by many plants and seeds to withstand periods of adverse environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, drought, or lack of nutrients. During dormancy, metabolic processes slow down significantly, allowing the plant or seed to conserve energy and resources until conditions improve.

Plants typically enter this state in response to external cues such as shortening daylight hours, temperatures dropping, or soil moisture levels declining. By entering dormancy, plants maximize their chances of survival through unfavorable periods until they can resume active growth when conditions become more favorable.

The other terms do not fit this definition. Growth refers to the process of increasing in size and developing, photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, and deciduousness refers to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally to conserve water and energy. None of these concepts encompass the idea of a dormant state in response to harsh conditions.