TRANSPORT IN PLANTS

a nsp o rt in Pla nts

Tra nsp o rta tio n

De finitio n:
Tra nsp o rta tio n in p la nts is the p ro c e ss in
w hic h sub sta nc e s a b so rb e d o r
sy nthe sise d in o ne p a rt o f the p la nt
a re m o ve d to o the r p a rts o f the p la nt.

Exa m p le 1: Wa te r a nd m ine ra ls
a b so rb e d b y ro o ts
fro m the so il is tra nsp o rte d thro ug h the
ste m to the le a ve s.

Exa m p le 2: Fo o d p ro d uc e d b y the
le a ve s d uring p ho to sy nthe sis is
tra nsp o rte d to a ll the p a rts o f the p la nt
bo dy.
Conducting system

The tra nsp o rting tissue s in p la nts a re xyle m a nd

p hlo e m . To g e the r the y fo rm the va sc ula r b und le .
Cells/Elements of xylem
Xylem Tracheids: These are elongated dead cells with
narrow ends.
They have thick walls with lateral pores.
They conduct water and provide mechanical strength.

Xylem Vessels: They are tube like cells open at the ends
connected one above the other.
They also conduct water and provide mechanical
support.

Xylem parenchyma: These are small living cells that

stores food and conduct water and mineral salts.

Xylem fibres: They are thick walled, long narrow cells

which provides only mechanical support.
Ce lls/ Ele m e nts o f
p hlo e m
Sie v e tub e s: The se a re
c y lind ric a l c e lls w itho ut a
nuc le us.
– The ir e nd w a lls a re c a lle d
sie v e p la te s, w hic h ha s
p o re s to a llo w fo o d
m a te ria ls to p a ss.

Co m p a nio n c e lls: The y a re

e lo ng a te d thin w a lle d liv ing
c e lls w ith nuc le us c lo se ly
a sso c ia te d w ith sie v e tub e s.
– The y he lp in c o nd uc tio n o f
fo o d .

Phlo e m p a re nc hy m a : The y a re thin

w a lle d c e lls tha t sto re fo o d .

Phlo e m fib re s: The y a re d e a d e lo ng a te d

c e lls tha t p ro v id e m e c ha nic a l sup p o rt.
 C o nd uc ting tissue s
Xy le m : Xy le m is a
c o m p le x tissue tha t
tra nsp o rts w a te r a nd
m ine ra l sa lts (Asc e nt
o f sa p ) fro m the
ro o ts to the le a v e s.

It c o nsists o f fo ur ty p e s
o f c e lls: Xy le m
tra c he id s , x y le m
v e sse ls , x y le m fib re s
a nd x y le m
p a re nc hy m a .
Func tio ns o f x y le m :
1 . Tra nsp o rta tio n o f w a te r a nd m ine ra ls
fro m the ro o ts to the le a v e s.
2 . Pro v id e s m e c ha nic a l stre ng th a nd
sup p o rt to the p la nt.
 Co nd uc ting tissue s
Phlo e m : Phlo e m is a c o m p le x
tissue tha t tra nsp o rts p re p a re d
fo o d fro m the le a ve s to the
d iffe re nt p a rts o f the p la nt.
It c o nsists o f fo ur typ e s o f c e lls:
Sie ve tub e s, c o m p a nio n c e lls,
Phlo e m p a re nc hym a , p hlo e m
fib re s.

Func tio ns o f p hlo e m :

1. Tra nsp o rta tio n o f fo o d p re p a re d
b y le a ve s to a ll p a rts o f the p la nts.
2. Phlo e m fib re s p ro vid e m e c ha nic a l
stre ng th a nd sup p o rt to the p la nt.
Activity 1
To prove that xylem conducts water.
To p ro ve tha t o nly ro o ts a b so rb wa te r.
. Transport of food

Phloem tissue is involved in the transport of food. This

process is called translocation.

Plants produce glucose during photosynthesis

This glucose is stored in the form of starch.

Starch is transported in the form of sucrose through the

phloem tissue.
 Wa te r a b so rp tio n b y ro o ts
The ro o t syste m c o nsists o f a m a in
ro o t, whic h g ive s o ut la te ra l ro o ts.

La te ra l ro o ts furthe r b ra nc h
a nd re b ra nc h a nd the fine

b ra nc he s b e a r m a ny o utg ro wths
c a lle d ro o t ha irs .
 Root hair
A root hair is an extension of an epidermal cell of
the root.

It has an outer freely permeable cell wall and an inner

semi permeable cell membrane.

Inner to the cell membrane lies the nucleus,

cytoplasm and other cell organelles.
 Speciality of root hairs

A root hairs have three special features for

absorbing water efficiently:
• Numerous root hairs provide large surface
area for better absorption.

• The cell sap contained in root hairs is of a

higher concentration, than the surrounding
soil water.

• The cell wall is freely permeable allowing all

substances to pass through, while the cell
membrane which is semi permeable allows
only some substances to pass through.
Movement of molecules in plants
 Movement of molecules in plants

Osmosis:
Movement of water molecules from a region of
its higher concentration to a region of its
lower concentration through a semi
permeable membrane.

Water moves from cell to cell in plants by

osmosis.
 Movement of molecules in plants
Diffusion:
Movement of molecules of a solid,
liquid or gas from a higher
concentration to lower concentration is
called diffusion.

In plants, carbon dioxide diffuses into

the leaf cells and oxygen diffuses out
through the stomata during
photosynthesis.