BiologyBiology ArticlePlant Physiology

PreviousNext

Top Banner

Plant Physiology

Plant physiology is a branch of study in Botany dealing with the physiological processes or
functions of plants. Precisely, it is a descriptive study of variation and structure of plants at the
molecular and cellular level, resulting in ecological, physiological and biochemistry related aspects
of plant exploration.

With terrestrial plants evolving, special techniques and procedures were needed for its survival
with a distinction between water and carbon dioxide.

Plant physiology deals with different plant structures and their functioning. It enables analysing
processes in plants, namely – photosynthesis, mineral nutrition, respiration, transportation, and
ultimately plant development and growth which are traits displayed by living entities.

The description is in the context of cellular activities in molecular parameters. It also gives a brief
idea of the role of physiological processes in the environment.

Let us have a detailed look at the plant physiology notes for better conceptual understanding of the
topic.

Physiology of Plant Parts

Leaves

Leaves are an important organ of the plant. They can grow in a variety of shapes and sizes. They
are the primary centre of photosynthesis.
Stem

The stem provides support and structure to the plant. They perform many important functions such
as plant growth, compete and survive in different environments, etc. The structure of the stem
differs in different species.

Roots

The roots are an underground part of the plant that absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. That
is why they are an important part of the plant.

Xylem and Phloem

These form the vascular tissues of the plant. These are also known as sap. They transport water,
sugars and other important substances between the roots, stem and leaves.

Functions of Plant

Transportation In Plants

Plants have a distinct vascular system (xylem and phloem) which helps in transporting nutrients
and water from roots to all the parts of the plant through translocation.

Transport of water and nutrients in rooted plants is unidirectional or multi-directional. Modes of

transportation can either be passive which occurs through diffusion, facilitated diffusion to be
precise or can be through active mode carried out by specific membrane proteins which are called
pumps.

Water plays a pivotal role in carrying out physiological activities, hence understanding the
importance of plant-water relations is essential.

The concept of water potential helps in comprehending the water movement through terms such
as- Solute potential and pressure potential.
At the cellular level, osmosis takes place in plants which allows movement of molecules in and out
of the cells.

Transpiration is another aspect crucial in the life cycle of plants.

Mineral Nutrition

Plant nutrition is an important aspect instrumental in the growth of plants. It gives an insight into
the methods used to identify essential elements for the development of plants, the role of these
elements, criteria to identify their essentiality, deficiency symptoms and mechanism of absorption
of these elements. It also conveys the importance of nitrogen fixation.

Macro and micronutrients present in plants carry out essential processes such as cell-membrane
permeability, osmotic concentration of cell sap and its maintenance, enzyme activity and so on.

Inadequate supply of essential elements can lead to critical concentration in plants. Elements are
absorbed through a mechanism which involves isolated cells, tissues and organs.

Apart from other essential elements, nitrogen fixation also takes place in plants.

Photosynthesis In Higher Plants

Plants synthesize their own food through photosynthesis and hence are called autotrophs.

Photosynthesis is important since it is the primary source of food for all living entities on earth and
it releases oxygen in the atmosphere which we inhale to breathe.

It takes place in chloroplasts through light and dark reactions using 4 pigments- Chlorophyll a,
chlorophyll b, Xanthophyll, carotenoids. Extracting energy from oxidizable substances and storing
in the form of bond energy is phosphorylation.
In plants, cyclic and non-cyclic photo-phosphorylations take place. During photosynthesis, the
Calvin cycle takes place through a set of 4 chemical reactions.

Respiration In Plants

Food that is required for life processes comes from photosynthesis. Cellular respiration results in
the release of energy used for the synthesis of ATP which involves glycolysis.

Aerobic respiration leads to complete oxidation of organic substances in the presence of oxygen,
which is common in higher organisms.

To release and utilize the energy stored in molecules, they undergo the following steps: electron
transport system and oxidative phosphorylation.

Another important aspect of respiration is the respiratory quotient. The ratio of the volume of
carbon dioxide released to the volume of oxygen consumed gives the respiratory quotient.

Plant Growth And Development

The process of plant development starts right from germination under favourable environmental
conditions.

Generally, plant growth is indeterminate as they retain their capacity to grow throughout their
lives because of the presence of meristems. The growth of plants is, however measurable through
parameters such as – dry weight, increase in fresh weight, length, area, volume, cell number etc.

The period of plant growth is categorized into three phases – meristematic, elongation and
maturation.
The growth rate can be determined quantitatively in 2 ways – absolute growth rate and relative
growth rate.

The growth of plants is controlled by plant growth regulators.

Plants also produce compounds such as phytochromes that are light sensitive and stimulate the
growth of the plant in response to environmental signals.

Plant physiology is also an important topic related to fruits, vegetables and other edible parts of
the plants. The production of food crops, including the harvest and post-harvest storage of plant
products, also hinges on the plant physiology studies.

Explore more crucial functions necessary to sustain plant life, or any other related topics by visiting
BYJU’S Biology. Alternatively, you can also discover important questions about Plant Physiology
for class 11 – only on BYJU’S The Learning App.