Question

Which plant part is responsible for transporting water, minerals, and sugars to different parts of the plant? Name the two types of tissue that make up this overall tissue, and explain the role of each.

Short answer

Vascular tissue; xylem and phloem

Step-by-step solution

Step-1  Introduction:

The plant requires food, water, and minerals for its survival. Various cellular processes take place to carry out vital functions in plants.

Some important mechanisms that take place in plants are; Photosynthesis, Transpiration, and transportation.

• Transpiration: loss of excess water through stomata and provides the cooling effect to plants.

• Photosynthesis: the process of synthesis of food in presence of sunlight by using water and oxygen.

• Transportation: the movement of water and minerals from the root to every part of the plant.

Step-2 Explanation:

The transportation of water, nutrients, and the products of photosynthesis are facilitated by various plant structures such as; roots, leaves, and stems. A complex conducting tissue that occurs in a vascular bundle is vascular tissue. This vascular tissue is responsible for the transportation of water, nutrients, and minerals. Transportation of water and nutrients are mainly influenced by evapotranspiration, water potential, and stomatal regulation.

The vascular tissue of the stem is composed of the xylem tissue and phloem tissues. Xylem is mainly responsible for the water and mineral transportation from roots to the upward. The phloem is responsible for transporting organic nutrients like carbohydrates and proteins.