8.

Transport in plants
Basheer Ahmed
Translocation
 What are assimilates
• In plants, sugars produced in photosynthesis, amino acids produced from sugars by plants,
mineral ions absorbed by plants, etc. are all called as Assimilates.
Translocation
Translocation
 Translocation

• Translocation is movement of assimilates from source to sink

through phloem

• Translocation is movement of sucrose and amino acids from

where are produced Ex: leaves to where they are assimilated
(stored/ used/ for respiration & growth), Ex; growing parts of
plants, stem, roots, storage organs like tubers, fruits, flowers ,
seeds, etc. through phloem
 Source and Sink change
with season in some plants
 Source and Sink change in plants
• Usually, the leaves are the sources, and the shoot and roots as the sink.
• However, some parts of plant act as source at one time and sink at some other time as shown below

SOURCE SINK

During germination Cotyledons of seed Growing regions like leaves, stem, roots

In early growth Leaves Roots, stem, etc.

Later growth Leaves Flowers, fruits, seeds, and other storage organs

During summer Leaves Storage organs

During winter/spring Storage organs Growing parts

Potato tubers are source and the growing
roots and leaves are sink
Mechanism of Translocation
 Translocation in Phloem needs
energy

• In xylem vessels, the movement is passive--requires

no energy input from the plant (only the Sun).

• In phloem. the plant has to use energy o create the

pressure differences needed for mass flow in phloem.

• Phloem transport is therefore an active process, in

contrast to the passive transport in xylem.

• Energy is used for loading assimilates from source

into phloem and unloading them from phloem at
sink.
Mechanism of Translocation
Translocation in
Phloem
 Mechanism of Translocation
1. In mesophyll cells, glucose is made by photosynthesis and then it is converted to sucrose.

2. Next the sucrose, moved to the phloem tubes by active transport Companion cells provide energy for
active transport This is called as loading

3. As sucrose and amino acids are actively loaded, the water potential decreases in phloem.

4. This causes water molecules from nearby xylem vessels to move into the phloem.

5. As assimilates and water accumulate pressure gradient is formed.

6. This forces the mass flow of assimilates dissolved in water from source to sink.

7. When assimilates reach the sink, they are unloaded out by companion cell by active transport and
for usage or storage
Demonstrate translocation by ringing experiment

1. A ring of bark containing phloem tissue (outer

layer) is removed.
2. Xylem remains phloem is scrapped off
3. Water continues to move but sugar transport
is blocked.
4. Sugars accumulate above the ring, so it
becomes swollen.
5. The plant may die after some time as roots are
not supplied with sugars and amino acids.
Which of the leaves growth will be affected
and Why?
Transpiration and Translocation
Transpiration and Translocation