A tropism from the Greek word tropos that means turning" is a
biological phenomenon, indicating growth or turning movement of a biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an environmental stimulus. In tropisms, this response is dependent on the direction of the stimulus (as opposed to nastic movements which are non- directional responses). Viruses and other pathogens also affect what is called "host tropism", "tissue tropism", or "cell tropism", or in which case tropism refers to the way in which different viruses/pathogens have evolved to preferentially target specific host species, specific tissue, or specific cell types within those species. Tropisms are usually named for the stimulus involved (for example, a phototropism is a reaction to sunlight) and may be either positive (towards the stimulus) or negative (away from the stimulus). Tropisms are typically associated with plants (although not necessarily restricted to them). Where an organism is capable of directed physical movement (motility), movement or activity in response to a specific stimulus is more likely to be regarded by behaviorists as a taxis (directional response) or a kinesis (non-directional response). In botany, the CholodnyWent model, proposed in 1927, is an early model describing tropism in emerging shoots of monocotyledons, including the tendencies for the stalk to grow towards light (phototropism) and the roots to grow downward (gravitropism). In both cases the directional growth is considered to be due to asymmetrical distribution of auxin, a plant growth hormone.
Aerotropism - growth of plants towards or away from a source of oxygen
Chemotropism - movement or growth in response to chemicals Electrotropism - movement or growth in response to an electric field Exotropism - continuation of growth "outward," i.e. in the previously established direction Geotropism (or gravitropism) - movement or growth in response to gravity Apogeotropism - negative geotropism Heliotropism - diurnal motion or seasonal motion of plant parts in response to the direction of the sun, (e.g. the sunflower) Apheliotropism - negative heliotropism Hydrotropism - movement or growth in response to water Prohydrotropism - positive hydrotropism Hygrotropism - movement or growth in response to moisture or humidity Magnetotropism - movement or growth in response to magnetic fields Orthotropism - movement or growth in the same line of action as the stimulus. Plagiotropism - movement or growth at an angle to a line of stimulus such as gravity or light. Phototropism - movement or growth in response to lights or colors of light Aphototropism - negative phototropism Skototropism - negative phototropism of vines Thermotropism - movement of growth in response to temperature Thigmotropism - movement or growth in response to touch or contact in viruses Amphotropism - wide host range (e.g. infects many species or cell types) Ecotropism - limited host range (e.g. infects only one species or cell type) HIV tropism - the means of entry into cells used by a given strain of HIV Neurotropism - a virus that preferentially infects the host's nervous system.