Transportation in plants

Transportation is the movement of materials from one part of the body to another.
The 2 major substances transported in plants are water & food.
Transport of water in plants
• Plants absorb minerals like
phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, etc
from soil.
• Water is also absorbed from soil by
the roots.
• These water & minerals are
transported from roots to leaves
through xylem.
• Xylem consists of xylem vessels &
tracheids which are tube like
structures.
• Mineral ions are absorbed actively
by roots water now enters into
root cells water & minerals
reach the xylem of the roots
continuous absorption of water
creates a pressure in the xylem of
roots called root pressure.
• This root pressure pushes the water
up.
• For moving water up tall trees, plants use
transpiration pull.
• During transpiration, water is lost as water
vapour from leaves through stomata.
• This creates a suction force called
transpiration pull which pulls the water to
the leaves from the xylem of the roots.
Importance of transpiration:-
• Helps in absorption & upward movement
of water & minerals from roots to leaves.
• Help in temperature regulation of the
plant.
• During day time,
transpiration pull is
the main force
which helps in the
movement of water
while at night, root
pressure is the
major factor in the
upward movement
of water.
Transport of food

• The product of photosynthesis

(sucrose) as well as amino acids
are transported through phloem.

• The transport of food in plants

is also called translocation.

• Sieve tubes & companion cells

of phloem help in translocation.
 Mechanism of translocation
• Food prepared by leaves (sucrose) enters the
phloem cells using energy from ATP.
• This increases osmotic pressure in the phloem.
• As a result, water moves from nearby xylem
vessels into sieve tubes.
• The pressure created by this moves the food
from the phloem to a part where the pressure is
low.
• In phloem, food is moved both in upward &
downward direction Leaves storage
organs (roots, stems).
• In spring season, the food can move from
storage organs to growing leaves & buds.
• In xylem, movement of water takes place only
in upward direction.
QUESTIONS
1.What are the components of the transport system in
highly organized plants?
2.Define the term translocation.
3.What is the difference in the transport of materials
through xylem and phloem?
4.In which form prepared food is transported through
phloem?
5.What are the significances of transpiration?