BM - PPT Lesson Slides - C09

CHAPTER 09
Transport in
Plants
Chapter Transport in Plants
9
9.1 The Transport Structures of

Flowering Plants
9.2 Studying the Movement of Substances in
Plants
9.3 Entry of Water into a Plant
9.4 Moving Water against Gravity
The Transport Structures
9.1 of Flowering Plants
Learning Outcomes
After this section, you should be able to:
• identify the positions of xylem and phloem tissue in
a dicotyledonous leaf and stem; and
• explain the functions of xylem and phloem tissue.
There are two types of vascular tissues:

• Xylem vessels
• Phloem (sieve
tube elements and
companion cells)
In a stem
xylem vessels phloem

Functions of xylem
• Conducts water and dissolved mineral
salts from the roots to the stem and
leaves
• Provides mechanical support for the
plant
Structure of xylem
• A xylem vessel is made up of many
dead cells fused together at the ends to
form a long hollow tube.
• Has a continuous lumen with no cross-
walls or protoplasm
• Lignin deposits in the inner walls of
xylem vessels
Why do you think there are different

patterns of lignifications?
transverse section
of a pitted xylem
vessel
annular spiral pitted

How is the xylem adapted for its

function?
• Empty lumen without protoplasm or
cross-walls enables water to move
easily through the lumen
• Walls are lignified to prevent the
collapse of vessels
Function of phloem
• Transports manufactured food
(sucrose and amino acids) from the
leaves to other parts of the plant
Structure of phloem (sieve tube)

• Sieve tube cells are elongated cells that
lack nuclei and have thin layers of cytoplasm.
• Sieve tube elements are made of sieve tube
cells that are joined end to end to form a
column with sieve plates in between.
• Sieve plates are cross-walls with many small
sieve pores.
Structure of phloem (companion cell)

• Narrow, thin-walled cell with cytoplasm,
nucleus and numerous mitochondria
degenerate protoplasm
within sieve tube cells
sieve plates with

sieve pores
companion cell
Diagram showing L.S. and T.S. of phloem

How is the phloem adapted for its

function?
• Phloem sieve tube elements have very little
protoplasm and are arranged to form a
continuous column. This reduces the
resistance to the flow of substances within
the phloem.
• Pores within the sieve plates allow rapid flow
of manufactured food substances
How is the phloem adapted for its

function?
• Companion cells have numerous
mitochondria to produce energy for the
loading of sugars into the phloem sieve
tubes.
• Every phloem sieve tube cell has an
associated companion cell to ensure its
survival.
How are the vascular tissues organised in stems?

1 In a dicotyledonous stem, the
xylem and phloem are grouped
together to form vascular
bundles.
2
The phloem lies outside the
xylem with a tissue called the
cambium between them.
Cambium cells can divide and
differentiate to form new xylem
and phloem tissues, giving rise
to a thickening of the stem.
xylem 3 The vascular bundles are

cambium vascular bundle arranged in a ring around a
phloem central region called the pith.

1 vascular bundles
2 cambium
3 pith
4 The stem is covered by a layer of

cells called the epidermis. The
epidermal cells are protected by a
waxy, waterproof cuticle that
greatly reduces evaporation of
water from the stem.
5
The region between the vascular
bundles and the epidermis is the
cortex. Both the cortex and the
pith are storage tissues.
1
phloem
vascular
2 cambium
bundle
xylem
3 pith
4 epidermis
5 cortex
How are the vascular tissues organised in roots?
1 In a dicotyledonous root,
the xylem and phloem
are not bundled together.
They alternate with each
xylem other.
phloem
2 The cortex of the root is

a storage tissue. The
cortex innermost layer of root
cortex is called the
endodermis endodermis.
3 The epidermis of the root

is the outermost layer of
cells. It is also called the
piliferous layer.
4
Each root hair is a tubular
outgrowth of an epidermal
cell. This outgrowth increases
the surface area to volume
ratio of the root hair cell.
1 xylem and phloem alternate with each other

4 root hair
2 cortex
3 piliferous layer
9

Flowering Plants
9.2 Studying the Movement of Substances
in Plants
Studying the Movement
9.2 of Substances in Plants
Learning Outcomes
• state that translocation is the transport of food
substances in phloem; and
• describe experiments that provide evidence to the
function of xylem in transporting water and the
function of phloem in transporting food
substances.
What is translocation?
• Translocation is the transport of
manufactured food substances, e.g.
sucrose and amino acids, in plants.
• It is bi-directional. Food substances can move
either down the phloem tissues of the shoots
to the roots, or up the phloem tissues of the
shoots to the leaves.
Translocation studies
The characteristics of translocation can be
studied using:
1) aphids
2) the ‘ringing’ experiment
3) radioactive carbon isotopes
Using aphids
1. Anaesthetise the aphid with CO2
while it is feeding on a stem.
2. Cut off its body such that its
proboscis remains in the plant
tissue.
3. Analyse the liquid that exudes
from cut end of proboscis.
4. Section the portion of the stem that
contains the proboscis and
examine it under a microscope.
Using aphids
• Why is it necessary to anaesthetise
the aphid while it is feeding?
Answer:
• To enable the body of the aphid to
be cut off while the aphid is feeding.
This ensures that the proboscis
remains in the phloem sieve tube.
Using aphids
• What tests can we use to analyse the
contents of the liquid that exudes from
the cut end of proboscis?
Answer:
• The following food tests can be used
to determine the contents of the liquid:
– Benedict’s test for reducing sugars,
– Biuret test for proteins, and
– ethanol emulsion test for fats.
Using aphids
• Why do we section the stem, at the
region where the proboscis is, for
examination under a microscope?
Answer:
• To determine which tissue the
proboscis was inserted into
Using the ‘ringing’ experiment

1. Cut off a complete ring of bark from the
main stem of a woody twig A. The ring is
above the water level.
A B
region with
bark removed
unringed twig
water

2. Set up a control using an unringed twig B.
3. Ensure that the bottom end of both twigs
are in contact with water.
4. Observe the twigs daily.
B
A
Predict the region with
appearance of bark removed
twigs A and B unringed twig
after a week.
water
B
Answer: A
Twig A after 1 week region with

bark removed
unringed twig
water

• Suggest an explanation for the observation.
Answer:
• The removal of phloem prevents the
translocation of sugars to the region below
the ring. The accumulation of sugars in the
region just above the ring lowers the water
potential of the cells in that region. Water
enters the region and this results in swelling.
Using radioactive carbon

isotope
1. Supply radioactive carbon (14C) to
an intact leaf enclosed in a sealed
chamber.
2. Allow photosynthesis to take place.
3. Cut a section of the stem and
expose it onto an X-ray
photographic film.
Using radioactive carbon isotope

• Predict the regions where radioactivity would
be detected.
Answer:
Radioactivity will
be detected in the
phloem.
Studying the pathway of water

1. Allow a young plant to stand in a
dilute red ink solution.
2. After a few hours, cut a
transverse section of the stem
and a transverse section of a
portion of the root that was not
immersed in ink.
Studying the pathway of water

• Predict which tissue would be
stained red in the transverse section
of the stem and root.
• What conclusion can be drawn?

Xylem is the tissue that transports
water in a plant.
9

Flowering Plants
9.2 Studying the Movement of Substances in
Plants
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
Learning Outcomes
• explain how water enters the root and moves
between root cells; and
• relate the structure of root hairs to its function in
water and ion uptake.
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
How does water enter a plant?

soil particles
1
Root hairs grow between
the soil particles. They are
in close contact with the
surrounding soil particles.
root hair
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant

2
Each soil particle has a thin
film of liquid surrounding it.
The soil solution is a dilute
solution of mineral salts.
3
The sap in the root hair cell is more concentrated
due to the presence of sugars and mineral salt; it
has a lower water potential than the soil solution.
Hence, water enters the root hair by osmosis.
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
root hair
C B A
4
The entry of water dilutes the root hair’s cell sap. The sap of the
3
root hair cell now has a higher water potential than that of the next
cell (cell B). Hence, water passes by osmosis from the root hair
cell into the inner cell.
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant

5
Similarly, water passes
from cell B into the next
cell (cell C). This process
continues until the water
enters the xylem vessels.
C B A
root hair
xylem
cortex
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
How is the root hair cell adapted for its

function?
• It is long and narrow with a large surface
area to volume ratio. This increases the rate
of absorption.
• Presence of cell membrane prevents leakage
of cell sap and allows water to enter the cell
by osmosis down the water potential gradient.
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
Mineral salts are absorbed into root hair

cells by:
• Diffusion
When the concentration of ions is higher in
the soil solution than in the root hair cell, ions
diffuse into the root hair cell.
• Active transport
When the concentration of ions is higher in
the root hair cell than the soil solution, ions
are taken into the cell with the use of energy.
Entry of Water into
9.3 a Plant
Thinking question:
• Why is water and mineral ions absorption decreased in
water-logged soil?
Answer:
• Water-logged soil has a very diluted soil solution. This
lowers the concentration of ions and the root hair cell
is unable to absorb mineral ions by diffusion. So it has
to expend energy to absorb mineral ions. This affects
the absorption of water as the cell sap would not have
as much mineral ions. Hence, the water potential
gradient would be less steep. This means that less
water will be absorbed by osmosis.
9
9.1 Transport Structures of

Flowering Plants
9.2 Movement of Substances in Plants
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Learning Outcomes
• outline the pathway in which water travels from the
roots to the leaves;
• understand and explain what transpiration is; and
• explain how various factors affect the rate of
transpiration.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
What is root pressure?
Root pressure is
pressure resulting from
the constant entry of
water into the roots.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
What is capillary action?

• Tendency of water to
move up inside very
narrow tubes
• Depends on the forces of
cohesion and adhesion
URL
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
What is transpiration?
It is the loss of water from the aerial
parts of the plant, especially through
the stomata of the leaves.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Where does transpiration occur?

• Set up the experiment shown below and
observe the water levels of A and B after
several hours.
oil
water
A B (control)
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Observation
• After several hours the water level in A would
have decreased, while the water level in B
would have remained unchanged.
water level
A B (control)
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Conclusion
• This experiment demonstrates that
transpiration occurs mainly through the leaves
of a plant.
water level
A B (control)
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
What is transpirational pull?

It is the suction force caused by
transpiration which results in water to
move up the xylem.
What is a transpirational stream?

It is the stream of water that moves up
in the plant.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Movement of water through a leaf

upper
1 epidermis
Water that moves out
with cuticle
of the mesophyll
cells form a thin film
of moisture around
the cells. palisade
mesophyll
1
thin film of moisture
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Water from the thin xylem

2 film of moisture
phloem
evaporates to form
water vapour in the
air spaces.
The water vapour spongy
mesophyll
accumulates in the
air spaces near the
stomata.
2
2
air spaces
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity

3
Water vapour diffuses
out of the stomata into
the environment. This is
transpiration.
spongy
mesophyll
lower
epidermis
3
59
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity

4 Movement of water out of
the cells to replace the thin 6 xylem
film of moisture that has
phloem
evaporated decreases the
cell sap’s water potential.
5 The mesophyll cells

5
absorb water via osmosis
from the cells deeper in
the leaf.
4
6 These cells, in turn, absorb

water from the xylem
vessels.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity

7 This results in the
production of a suction 7 xylem
force that pulls the phloem
column of water in the
xylem vessels up.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Checkpoint
Outline the pathway of

water from the roots to
the leaves.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Answer:
Pathway of water from the roots to stem
1 The sap in the root

hair cell has lower
water potential
3 Xylem than the soil
conducts solution. Water
section of root
water enters the root hair
upwards. by osmosis.
2
Water flows across the root cortex,
down a water potential gradient.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Answer (continued):
Pathway of water from the roots to the leaves
section of leaf
water movement
by osmosis 4
intercellular Water evaporates from
air space surface of mesophyll cells into
the intercellular air space.
xylem
phloem
Water vapour
diffuses out of leaf
through stomata.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Measuring the rate of transpiration

(1) (2)
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Calculating the rate of transpiration
Rate of transpiration = Loss in mass (g)

(g/h) Time taken (h)
Rate of transpiration = Loss in volume (cm3)

(cm3/h) Time taken (h)
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Factors affecting transpiration rate

Factor Condition Transpiration rate
Humidity of air High Decreases
Wind or air movement Faster Increases
Temperature of air High Increases
Light intensity High Increases

Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Importance of transpiration
• Transpirational pull is a major suction force
for moving water and mineral salts up the
xylem.
• Water is required at the leaves for
photosynthesis.
• Turgidity is maintained as water that is lost
in the aerial portions of the plant is replaced.
• Evaporation of water helps to cool the
plant.
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Excessive transpiration
• When rate of water loss
exceeds rate of water
absorption, wilting
occurs.
What are the

advantages and
disadvantages of
wilting?
Moving Water
9.4 against Gravity
Advantages of wilting
• Reduces rate of transpiration
• Prevents excessive water loss
• Cooling of plant
Disadvantages of wilting
• Stomata close, decreasing intake of CO2
and rate of photosynthesis decreases.
• Leaves droop and hence decrease
absorption of sunlight, hence rate of
photosynthesis decreases.
9
9
The URLs are valid as at 15 October 2012.

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CHAPTER 09

9.1 The Transport Structures of

There are two types of vascular tissues:

xylem vessels phloem

Why do you think there are different

annular spiral pitted

How is the xylem adapted for its

Structure of phloem (sieve tube)

Structure of phloem (companion cell)

sieve plates with

Diagram showing L.S. and T.S. of phloem

How is the phloem adapted for its

How is the phloem adapted for its

How are the vascular tissues organised in stems?

xylem 3 The vascular bundles are

How are the vascular tissues organised in stems?

4 The stem is covered by a layer of

How are the vascular tissues organised in stems?

How are the vascular tissues organised in roots?

2 The cortex of the root is

How are the vascular tissues organised in roots?

3 The epidermis of the root

How are the vascular tissues organised in roots?

1 xylem and phloem alternate with each other

9.1 The Transport Structures of

Using the ‘ringing’ experiment

Using the ‘ringing’ experiment

Using the ‘ringing’ experiment

Twig A after 1 week region with

Using the ‘ringing’ experiment

Using radioactive carbon

Using radioactive carbon isotope

Studying the pathway of water

Studying the pathway of water

• What conclusion can be drawn?

9.1 The Transport Structures of

How does water enter a plant?

How does water enter a plant?

How does water enter a plant?

How does water enter a plant?

How is the root hair cell adapted for its

Mineral salts are absorbed into root hair

9.1 Transport Structures of

What is root pressure?

What is capillary action?

Where does transpiration occur?

What is transpirational pull?

What is a transpirational stream?

Movement of water through a leaf

Movement of water through a leaf

Water from the thin xylem

Movement of water through a leaf

Movement of water through a leaf

5 The mesophyll cells

6 These cells, in turn, absorb

Movement of water through a leaf

Outline the pathway of

1 The sap in the root

Measuring the rate of transpiration

Calculating the rate of transpiration

Rate of transpiration = Loss in mass (g)

Rate of transpiration = Loss in volume (cm3)

Factors affecting transpiration rate