Transport in plants
Transporting vessels in plants are Xylem and Phloem.
Difference between Xylem and Phloem are given below:
Xylem
They are made from cells joined end to end to
form tubes.
The cells are mostly dead.
The walls of the cells are thickened with lignin
It transports water and minerals from the root to
the stem and leaves.
The movement in Xylem is always upwards.
It provides mechanical support to plant body.
Figure: Different types of Xylem.
Figure: Structure of Phloem.
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Phloem
These are made from cytoplasmic
processes.
These are living
It does not contain lignin
It translocates dissolved products of
photosynthesis such as sucrose from the
leaves to different parts of plants
The flow through phloem can go both up
and down the plant.
It does not provide mechanical support.
Figure: Movement of water, minerals and products of photosynthesis through
transport tissues in plant.

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Figure: Movement of water through different structure of the root.

Figure: Internal structure of a stem.

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 Figure: Internal structure of a leaf.

Figure: A path way showing movement of water from the root to the stem.

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Movement of water from the soil into the root hair cell:
Soil solution contains more water potential than those of the cytoplasm of root hair cells. Thus,
water molecules enter the cytoplasm of root hair cells down the water potential gradient through
the partially permeable membrane by osmosis. These water molecules then travel across the
cortex, endodermis and into the xylem down the water potential gradient by osmosis.

Movement of water from the root into the stem:

From the cells in the endodermis, water molecule enters the xylem for transportation up the stem
and into the leaves down the water potential gradient by osmosis. A column of water is
maintained in the xylem through cohesive and adhesive forces of attraction (cohesive force is
the force of attraction between two water molecules and adhesive force is the force of
attraction between water molecules and xylem wall).
Water molecules lost due to evaporation are replaced by those from the xylem by osmosis and
this causes a pulling effect known as transpiration pull. This pull of water molecules is due to the
large cohesive forces between water molecules and creates a tension in the xylem cells.

From the leaves to the atmosphere:

Due to evaporation, water molecule is lost from the leaf surface. Thus, water molecule enters the
cell wall via cell membrane down the concentration gradient by osmosis. From here, water
molecules are diffused into the air space. Thus, air in the air space becomes saturated with water
vapor and possesses more water potential than the atmosphere. When the stomata in the leaf are
open, water molecules from the air space in the leaf move out into the atmosphere down the
water potential gradient by diffusion. Due to transpiration pull, water is then brought from the
xylem to the spongy mesophyll cells in the leaf down the water potential gradient by osmosis.
This loss of water molecule from the aerial part of the plant is called transpiration.

Importance of transpiration:
• During transpiration, the evaporation of water from the mesophyll cells to the atmosphere
helps to cool the plant leaves as it requires energy.
• As mineral salts move along with water, transpiration is needed in the uptake of mineral
salts from the soil and distribution throughout the plant.
• Water uptaken is used by plant in photosynthesis, hydrolysis and in making the plant
cells turgid. This turgidity provides plant with mechanical support.

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Factors affecting the rate of transpiration:
• Temperature: Increase in temperature increases the rate of transpiration. This is
because, at higher temperatures, the rate of evaporation of water from the mesophyll cells
increases.
• Humidity: Increase in humidity in the air around the plant reduces the diffusion gradient
between the air spaces in the leaf and the external air. The rate of transpiration thus
decreases in humid air and speeds up in dry air.
• Wind speed: With the increase in wind speed, the rate of transpiration increases. This is
because, the moving air removes any water vapor which might remain near the stomata.
This increases diffusion gradient between the mesophyll cells and the atmosphere. The
moist air would reduce the diffusion gradient and slow down diffusion.
• Light intensity: With the increase in the light intensity, the rate of transpiration increases
because of the opening of the stomata in the leaves for carrying out photosynthesis by
leaves.
• Surface area of the leaf: The larger surface area of the leaf the more the rate of
transpiration because of having more stomata.
• Hair – like structure near the stomata: It traps water molecules released from the
stomata. This makes air around the leaves more saturated with water vapor and reduces
the diffusion gradient between the leaves and the surrounding air.
• Thickness of the cuticle: The thicker the cuticle of the leaf the smaller the rate of
transpiration. This is because cuticle reduces water loss.

Opening and closing of stomata:

Opening of stomata: At day time, guard cells carry out photosynthesis to produce glucose. As a
result, cytoplasm in the guard cells becomes concentrated and thus guard cells possess lower
water potential than those of the surrounding epidermal cells. Thus, water molecules from the
epidermal cells enter the guard cells down the water potential gradient by osmosis. As a result,
guard cells become turgid and stomata thus open.

Closing of stomata: At night no photosynthesis occurs due to lack of light. All glucose thus
produced will be converted into starch in the guard cells. Water potential in the guard cells
increases. Thus, guard cells possess more water potential than those of the surrounding
epidermal cells. So, water molecules from the guard cells move to the surrounding epidermal
cells down the water potential gradient by osmosis. This results in making the guard cells flaccid
and stomata thus close.

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Figure: Diagram showing the opening and the closure of the stomata.

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