Chapter – 8 Transport in plants
Points to
remember Glucose- Cells need to
carry out respiration and
certain activities in the
cell also requires glucose
Starch- (storage) Starch
molecules are made by
joining glucose molecules
together
Sucrose (transport)-
Photosynthesis takes
place in the leaves
(because of chlorophyll)
so glucose changes to
sucrose and is carried in
the phloem tubes from
one part to another and is
used as energy
Transport in
Plants
What are the functions of xylem and phloem?
How does the structure of xylem vessels relate to their
function?
Xylem and phloem in leaf, stem
and root
Xylem and phloem are present in the
midrib of the leaf, as well as in the leaf
veins.
Structure of a typical flowering
plant
Stem
Stem is shown cut across
(transversely) and down its length
(longitudinally) to show its internal
structure.
Epidermis - Like the leaf
epidermis, this is a single layer of
cells that helps to keep the shape
of the stem and cuts down the
loss of water vapors. There are
stomata in the epidermis, which
allow the tissues inside to take up
oxygen and get rid of carbon
dioxide
•Vascular bundles consist of specialized cells that transport
water, dissolved salts, and food throughout the plant.
•These bundles in the roots, stem, leaf stalks, and leaf veins form
a transport system across the entire plant.
•The two main tissues in vascular bundles are xylem and phloem.
•Phloem transports food substances like sucrose and amino
acids.
•Xylem carries water and mineral ions.
•The cells in xylem form vessels, while phloem cells form sieve
tubes.
•Both xylem and phloem are supported by surrounding cells.
•Xylem also plays a role in supporting the plant structurally.
•Xylem vessels consist of long, hollow cells joined end to end, forming
continuous tubes.
•As the plant matures, the end walls of these cells dissolve, allowing
unimpeded water flow.
•The cell walls thicken with lignin, a strong, impermeable substance.
•Lignification causes the cytoplasm to die, but water transport remains
unaffected.
•Besides vessels, the xylem also contains lignified fibers, which provide
structural support to the plant.
•Sieve tubes are living conducting cells in the phloem, arranged in vertical
columns similar to vessels.
•The end walls of these cells develop perforations, allowing substances to
pass between cells.
•Unlike vessels, sieve tube cell walls are not lignified, and the cells remain
alive.
•Sieve tube cells lose their nuclei during maturation.
•The perforated end walls are called sieve plates.
•The phloem also contains supporting cells alongside sieve tubes
•The tissue between the vascular bundles and the epidermis is called
the cortex.
•Cortex cells often store starch.
•In green stems, the outer cortex cells contain chloroplasts and perform
photosynthesis.
•Inside the cortex lies the pith, the central tissue of the stem.
Root
The internal structure of a typical root is as shown. The vascular bundle is made up of groups of
specialized cells in the center of the root. They conduct water, dissolved salts and food. This is
different from the stem, where the vascular bundles form a cylinder in the cortex
Outer layer There is no distinct epidermis in a root. At the
root tip there are several layers of cells forming the root cap.
These cells are being replaced as fast as they are worn away
when the root tip is pushed through the soil.
Transverse section through a root
(×40). The vascular tissue is in the
center. some root hairs are seen in
the outer layer of cells
Root hair cells - In a region above the root tip, where the root
has just stopped growing, the cells of the outer layer produce
tiny, tube-like outgrowths called root hairs. In the soil, the root
hair cells grow between the soil particles and stick closely to
them. They provide a large surface area to take up water from
the soil by osmosis and to absorb mineral ions by active
transport.
Root hair cells only live for a short time. The region
of root just below a root hair zone is producing new Root
root hairs, while the root hairs at the top of the hairs
zone are shriveling. Above the root hair zone, the
cell walls of the outer layer become less
permeable. This means that water cannot get in so
easily.
The root hair zone changes as the root
grows
Uptake and transport of water and ions
Scientists believe that the tension created in the
xylem vessels of a rapidly transpiring plant is
sufficient to draw water through the roots from the
soil. Water first enters the root hair cells and then
moves through the root cortex cells. From there, it
enters the xylem vessels, traveling up the stem and
into the leaves. In the leaves, the xylem runs along
the midrib before branching into veins and reaching
the mesophyll cells.
What is transpiration? Transpirati
How and why does wilting occur?
on
The transpiration stream
• Transpiration is the evaporation of water from plants and The
main force driving water movement through the plant is
transpirational pull.
•Water evaporates from the surfaces of spongy mesophyll cells
into air spaces in the leaves.
•It then diffuses out of the leaves as water vapor through the
stomata.
•Water evaporation creates a suction force that pulls water
upward through the stem.
•Water travels up the xylem vessels in the vascular bundles.
•This upward flow of water is called the transpiration stream
On a hot, dry day (or after
several days with no rain or
watering), transpiration
causes more water to be
lost than is coming in, and
the water balance within
the plant can get thrown
off. The dehydrated
collapsing cells in the
leaves and stems can no
longer remain erect, and
the plant begins to wilt.
Video showing the transport of xylem and Bing Videos
phloem
Translocation
Translocation is the movement of
sucrose and amino acids in the
phloem from source to sinks.
The carbohydrates made in the leaf during photosynthesis are
converted to sucrose and carried out of the leaf (the source)
to the stem. From here, the sucrose may pass upwards to
growing buds and fruits or downwards to the roots and
storage organs (sink).
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