TRANSPORT IN FLOWERING PLANTS

Plants need a transport system for the following reasons:

• To carry water and mineral salts from the roots to other parts of the plant
• To transport manufactured foods from the leaves to other parts of the plant
• To transport hormones from sites of synthesis to sites of usage

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF ROOTS AND STEMS.

Arrangement of Vascular Tissues in Dicots and Monocots

(a) Cross-section of a Dicot Root

• Xylem is located in the centre and is star-shaped

• Phloem is located between the „arms‟ of the xylem

(b) Cross-section of a Monocot Root

(c) Cross-section of a Dicot Stem

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(d) Cross section of a monocot
stem

(e) Longitudinal section of a stem

The transport system in flowering plants is called the vascular system (Vascular bundles). This
consists of xylem and phloem which are closely associated with a meristematic tissue called
cambium.
• Xylem conducts water and mineral salts from the roots to other parts of the plant and
supports the plant mechanically.
• Phloem transports manufactured foods from the leaves to other parts of the plant.
• Cambium carries out cell division to produce new cells, including xylem and phloem
cells
• Epidermis is the outer layer and protects inner tissues from mechanical damage and
entry of pathogens.
• Root hairs absorb water and mineral salts from the soil
• Cortex serves as a passage for water and mineral salts in roots. In stems, it helps to
maintain the firmness and shape of the stem (mechanical support) through its three
layers namely collenchyma, sclerenchyma and parenchyma.
• Endodermis is the innermost layer of the cortex.
• Pericycle is a single layer of cells located immediately below the endodermis. It consists

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 of meristematic cells which give rise to lateral roots.
• Pith forms the central region of the stem in dicotyledonous plants. It consists of
parenchyma cells whose function is storage of water and food substances.

ABSORPTION OF WATER AND UPTAKE OF MINERAL SALTS BY ROOTS

Water and mineral salts are absorbed by root hairs which are found near the tips of roots. A
root hair cell absorbs water by osmosis and mineral salts in form of ions by active transport.

MOVEMENT OF WATER AND TRANSPORT OF MINERAL SALTS FROM THE

ROOTS TO THE LEAVES.

(a) Movement of water from the roots to the leaves.

(i) Movement of Water from the root hairs to the xylem
• After being absorbed, water moves from the root hair cell to the xylem using three
routes namely apoplast (from cell wall to cell wall), symplast (from cytoplasm to
cytoplasm) and vacuolar route (from vacuole to vacuole). The movement of water
from cell to cell is due to osmosis and transpiration pull.

(ii) Movement of water up the Plant

• Water moves up the plant through xylem vessels in a continuous stream known as
the transpiration stream. The forces responsible for movement of water in
the transpiration stream are transpiration, capillarity, root pressure and
guttation.
• Transpiration (the diffusion of water vapour from plant leaves to the
atmosphere through stomata). This creates a suction force that pulls water up the
xylem vessels.
• Capillarity: This is the movement of water into narrow tubes or openings as a
result of cohesion (attractive forces between molecules of the same kind e.g. water to
water) and adhesion (attractive forces between molecules of different substances e.g.
water molecules and wall of xylem vessel).
• Root Pressure: This is the pressure created in xylem vessels due to osmotic gain of
water by the roots. This pushes water up the xylem vessels.
• Guttation: the loss of water drops from the tips and margins of leaves through
openings called hydathodes. This creates a suction force that pulls water up the
xylem vessels.

(b)Transport of mineral salts from the roots to the leaves.

As water flows from the roots to the leaves of a plant in the transpiration stream, it carries with
it dissolved mineral ions which have been absorbed into the plant through the roots. In this way,
mineral ions are distributed throughout the plant.

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TRANSLOCATION

This is the movement of organic solutes from the source to the sink sites (the sites of usage or
storage) through phloem. The organic solutes mainly include sucrose and amino acids
dissolved in water.

The processes involved in the movement of organic solutes include diffusion and cytoplasmic
streaming (movement of materials from the cytoplasm of one cell to the next cytoplasm of
another cell).

TRANSPIRATION

This is the diffusion of water vapour from leaves to the atmosphere through the stomata.

Excessive transpiration can lead to plasmolysis of plant cells causing wilting of the plant.
Wilting is the sagging of delicate plant parts such as leaves, flowers and young stems due loss
of water.
Factors that affect the rate of transpiration
These include temperature, humidity, light intensity and wind.
Temperature: this is the degree of hotness or coldness of a substance. The higher the
temperature, the higher the transpiration rate. This is because high temperatures increase the
kinetic energy of the water molecules making them diffuse faster out of the leaf.

Humidity: this is the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere. The higher the humidity, the
lower the transpiration rate because high humidity lowers the concentration gradient between
the leaf and the atmosphere.

Light Intensity: This is the brightness or dimness of light. The higher the light intensity, the
higher the transpiration rate because high light intensity causes opening of the stomata.

Wind: wind is moving air. The higher the wind speed, the greater the rate of transpiration.
When the air is still, a layer of water vapour forms over the leaf and reduces the transpiration
rate. But when there is wind, this layer of vapour is blown away thereby increasing the
diffusion rate.

Adaptive features of a leaf to reduce excess loss of water.

Plants can be adapted to reduce the rate of transpiration by having xeromorphic features
which include the following:

• Presence of a thick waxy cuticle. Reduces loss of water by transpiration

• Sunken stomata. Reduces loss of water by transpiration
• Reduced size of leaves (needle-shaped leaves)/reduced number of stomata. This

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 minimizes the surface area over which transpiration takes place in the leaf thus reducing
water loss by transpiration
• Shedding of leaves. Some plants shed their leaves during prolonged drought season to
reduce water loss by transpiration. Shading of leaves therefore, reduces the surface area
for transpiration.
• Presence of hairs on the lower side of the leaf. Reduces loss of water by transpiration
• Leaves can roll up when water is scarce. Reduces loss of water by transpiration

Significance (importance) of transpiration in plants

(i) Water cycle. Transpiration is important in the maintenance of the water cycle. Plants
absorb ground water and releases it into the atmosphere inform of water vapour.
Water vapour condenses to form clouds which later precipitate to form rainfall.
(ii) Cooling of the plant. As water evaporates from the plant, it carries away latent heat
of vapourization hence leaving the plant cool.
(iii) Absorption of mineral ions. As water evaporates from the leaves, more is absorbed
from the soil. This creates a pull that draws more water containing dissolved mineral
ions by the roots
(iv) Provides water for photosynthesis. Some water is not lost to the atmosphere but is
used during photosynthesis.
Measuring the Rate of Transpiration
This can be measured using an instrument called the potometer.
Procedure
Cut a small branch under water. The size of the stem of the branch should be approximately
or equal to the tube width. Push the cut end of the branch into the rubber tube while under
water which is connected to the potometer. Apply grease at the point of connection to prevent
evaporation or leakage of water. Exposé the potometer to light. Observe the movement of
water bubbles up the potometer.
Diagram of potometer

When using the potometer it is assumed that water uptake is equal to water loss through
transpiration. The distance moved by the air bubble/meniscus, the cross sectional area of the
capillary tube and the time taken need to be known in order to calculate the transpiration rate
using the following formula:

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Rate of transpiration = Distance moved by meniscus X Cross sectional area of tube
Time taken
Example
A student used a potometer to measure the transpiration rate of a leafy shoot of a plant. The
water meniscus moved 30 cm in 30 minutes. If the cross-sectional area of the capillary tube
was 0.25 cm2.
(a) What was the transpiration rate of the shoot?
(b) State two precautions that were taken by the student in setting up the potometer
(c) Suggest the changes that would be observed in the air-water meniscus under the following
conditions. Give reason for your answer in each case.
(i) Removal of all leaves from the leafy shoot
(ii) Placing the potometer in the school playing field on sunny, windy day.
Solution
(a)
Rate of transpiration= Distance moved by meniscus X Cross-sectional area of tube
Time taken
= 30 cm X 0.25 cm2 = 0.25 cm3/ minute
30 minutes
(b) 1.applying grease/ petroleum jelly between the rubber bung and the leafy shoot to prevent
entry of air into the xylem vessel
2.The leafy shoot was cut and fixed under water to prevent blockage of the narrow xylem
vessels by air bubbles
(c) (i) The movement of air-water meniscus would stop since there would be no loss of water
by transpiration
(ii) The air – water meniscus would move rapidly as the rate of transpiration would increase
due to increases in temperature and wind speed