Question

What are the components of the transport system in highly organised plants?

Answer 1

In highly organised plants, there are two different types of conducting tissues – xylem and phloem. Xylem conducts water and minerals obtained from the soil (via roots) to the rest of the plant. Phloem transports food materials from the leaves to different parts of the plant body.

Answer 2

1. The upward movement of water and mineral salts from the roots to the aerial parts of the plant, such as leaves, shoots, and flowers, against gravity occurs through the process called the ascent of sap. In xylem tissue, the vessels and tracheids in the roots, stems, and leaves are connected to form a continuous system of water-conducting channels that extend to all parts of the plant.
2. Water, along with dissolved minerals from the root hairs, moves into the xylem vessels through the cells of the cortex, endodermis, and pericycle. The ascent of sap then occurs from the xylem of the roots to the xylem of the stems and leaves via vessels and tracheids. The evaporation of water from the leaf cells, known as transpiration, creates a suction that pulls water upwards from the roots towards the upper parts of the plant.