Transport in plants

Phloem Xylem

Function Transportation of food and Water

nutrients such as sugar and mineral
and amino acids from transport
leaves to storage organs from roots
and growing parts of plant. to aerial
This movement of parts of the
substances is called plant.
translocation.

Movement Bidirectional (Moves up or Unidirection

down the plant's stem from al (Moves
"source to sink") up the
plant's
stem)

Occurrence Roots, stems and leaves. Roots,

transports sucrose to stems and
growth (roots and shoots) leaves
and storage regions of the
plant (seeds fruit and
swollen roots)

Additional Functions Forms vascular bundles Forms

with xylem vascular
bundles
with
phloem and
gives
mechanical
strength to
plant due to
 presence of
lignin cells.
The
lignified
secondary
wall also
makes the
xylem
waterproof
and prevent
it from
collapsing
under the
pressure of
water
transpiratio
n

Structure Elongated, tubular shape Tubular

with thin walled sieve shape with
tubes. The sieve tubes no cross
have pores at each end in walls which
the cross walls and allows a
microtubules that extend continuous
between sieve elements column of
allowing longitudinal flow of water +
material. facilitates
more rapid
transport
within the
xylem
vessels.
There are
two types -
 protoxylem
(first
formed
xylem) +
metaxylem
(mature
xylem)
depending
on pattern
of lignin.

Elements Sieve tubes, companion Tracheids,

cells, phloem parenchyma vessel
(loosely packed resulting in elements,
intercellular spaces which xylem
allows gas exchange), bast parenchym
fibers, intermediary cells, a (loosely
packed
resulting in
intercellular
spaces
which
allows gas
exchange),
xylem
sclerenchy
ma

Nature of tissue Living tissue with little Dead tissue

cytoplasm but no at maturity
nucleus/tonoplast. so it is
hollow with
no cell
contents
 Shape Phloem is not star shaped. Xylem is
star
shaped.

Location in vascular Phloem occur on outer xylem

bundle side of the vascular occupy the
bundle. center of
the
vascular
bundle.

Contents: Phloem vs Xylem

1 Anatomy
1.1 Sap components
2 Transportation
3 Functions of Xylem and Phloem
4 Types of plant cells

Anatomy

Xylem is formed by tracheary elements like tracheids and vessels predominantly. There
are a variety of other cells giving it the status of complex tissue. Primary xylem
originates from the procambium during primary growth while secondary xylem has its
origin in vascular cambium during secondary growth. Phloem has sieve tubes,
companion cells, bast fibers as its elements. Phloem originates from meristematic cells
in vascular cambium- primary phloem from apical meristem and secondary phloem from
vascular cambium.

Sap components

Xylem sap contains water, inorganic ions and a few organic chemicals. Phloem sap
contains water and sugars.
Differences between Xylem and Phloem vessels

Transportation

Both phloem and xylem are tubular structures that facilitate easy transportation. In
xylem vessels water travels by bulk flow rather than cell diffusion. In phloem,
concentration of organic substance inside a phloem cell (e.g., leaf) creates a diffusion
gradient by which water flows into cells and phloem sap moves from source of organic
substance to sugar sinks by turgor pressure.

Negative pressure facilitates movement of water and minerals in xylem while in phloem
positive hydrostatic pressures are responsible for transportation. Hence phloem loading
and unloading brings about translocation.

Functions of Xylem and Phloem

Xylem transports water and soluble mineral nutrients from roots to various parts of the
plant. It is responsible for replacing water lost through transpiration and photosynthesis.
Phloem translocates sugars made by photosynthetic areas of plants to storage organs
like roots, tubers or bulbs.

This video explains the biological makeup of xylem and phloem and their role in plant
transport.

Types of plant cells