Chapter 1 Nutrition in Plants

All living organisms require food. The food gives energy to the organisms for growth and maintenance of their
body functions. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are the components of food. These
components of food are necessary for our body and are called nutrients.

Nutrition is the process of taking food by an organism and its utilization by the body. Green plants prepare their
own food while humans and animals are directly or indirectly dependent on plants for their food.

 Nutrition is very important as the nutrients from the food consumed enable living organisms to build their
bodies and grow.

 Nutrition helps to repair damaged parts and organs.

 Nutrition also provides energy for carrying out various functions.

Mode of Nutrition in Plants

There are two modes of nutrition:

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 Autotrophic nutrition

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 Heterotrophic nutrition
Autotrophic nutrition: (auto-self; trophies - nourishment)
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 The mode of nutrition in which organisms make their food from simple inorganic
substances is called autotrophic nutrition.
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 Therefore, green plants are called autotrophs.
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 Autotrophs prepare their food through the process of photosynthesis.

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 They are also known as producers, as they are the only source of producing food.
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 All the animals directly or indirectly depend upon plants for food.

Photosynthesis
 Photosynthesis (photo-light; synthesis-to combine) is the process of synthesizing
organic food (glucose) from inorganic carbon dioxide and water using solar energy
captured by chlorophyll pigments.

 During this process, oxygen is released.

 The glucose thus formed is ultimately converted into starch, which is also a
carbohydrate.

 Photosynthesis takes place in the green parts (mostly in leaves) of the plant because
of the presence of chlorophyll pigments inside their cells.

 Therefore, leaves are plants' food factories.

 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2.

Green plants require four things (sunlight, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water) to prepare
food.
 Sunlight: Sun is the natural source of sunlight, which provides solar energy to the
plant. Solar energy is converted into chemical energy by plants through
photosynthesis. Thus, the sun is the ultimate source of energy.

 Chlorophyll: Chlorophyll pigment is present in all the green parts of the plant in cell
organelles and is called chloroplast. It traps solar energy from sunlight.
Photosynthesis cannot take place without chlorophyll.

 Carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide is obtained from the atmosphere through stomata
on plants' leaf surfaces.

 Water: Water and minerals in the soil are absorbed by the roots and transported to
the leaves by the vessels that run like pipes throughout the root, the stem, the

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branches, and the leaves.
Role of the Leaf in Photosynthesis

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Stomata
 The tiny pores on the surface of the leaves surrounded by two kidney-shaped guard
cells are called stomata. H
 Guard cells regulate the opening and closing of stomata.
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 These kidney-shaped cells cover a single stoma and also contain chloroplasts.
Functions of stomata
 Exchange of gasses takes place (carbon dioxide from air is taken in and oxygen is
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released) through stomata.

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 Transpiration takes place through stomata.

Synthesis of food other than carbohydrates
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 Soil has certain bacteria that convert gaseous nitrogen into a usable form and
release it into the soil. The plants, along with water, absorb these soluble forms.
  Farmers are adding fertilizers rich in nitrogen to the soil. In this way, the plants and
other constituents fulfil their nitrogen requirements.

Heterotrophic Nutrition: (Heteros-other; trophos-nourishment)

 The mode of nutrition in which organisms cannot make their food is known as
heterotrophic nutrition.

 Organisms which obtain food from other organisms are called heterotrophs.

 They obtain food from plants or animals, e.g., Animals, fungi and some bacteria.

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1. Saprotrophic Nutrition

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 The mode of nutrition in which organisms take in nutrients in solution form from
dead & decaying matter is called saprotrophic nutrition. Plants which use such a
mode of nutrition are called saprotrophs.

 They have no green leaves; often, they even have no leaves at all.

Examples: - fungi ,Mushrooms etc

2. Parasitic

 Certain plants lack chlorophyll pigments (without which photosynthesis cannot

take place) and are thus parasites on other plants.
  These plants obtain the food prepared by other organisms.

Examples are Cuscuta (Dodder), Rafflesia, etc.

3. Symbiotic Relationship

 Mutually beneficial association in which two organisms live together and share
shelter and nutrients.

 This is called a symbiotic relationship—for example, Mycorrhiza and lichen.

4. Insectivorous or carnivorous plants

 Insectivorous plants are autotrophic but obtain nitrogen from insects.

 They generally grow in soil that is deficient in nitrogen, such as Nepenthes or

Pitcher plants. Venus flytrap, Sundew etc.

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Herbivores: The heterotrophs that derive their energy directly from plants are called herbivores.
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Carnivores: Those who derive their energy indirectly by eating herbivores are called carnivores.
Omnivores: They feed on both plants and animals. Example: bear, rat, man etc.
Decomposers: They obtain nutrients by breaking down remains of dead plants and animals, includes
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some bacteria and fungi.

Replenishment of Nutrients in Soil

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Crops require a lot of nitrogen to make proteins. After the harvest, the soil becomes deficient in
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nitrogen. Plants cannot use the nitrogen gas available in the atmosphere directly. The action of
certain bacteria can convert this nitrogen into a form readily used by plants.
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Rhizobium bacteria live in the root nodules of leguminous plants. These bacteria take nitrogen
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gas from the atmosphere and convert it into water-soluble nitrogen compounds making it
available to the leguminous plants for their growth. In return, leguminous plants provide food
and shelter to the bacteria as Rhizobium cannot prepare its food. They, thus have a symbiotic
relationship. This association is very important for the farmers, as they do not need to add
nitrogen fertilisers to the soil in which leguminous plants are grown.

Rhizobium
Rhizobium is a type of bacteria that converts atmospheric nitrogen into a soluble form that can be
utilised by plants (nitrogen fixation).
It usually resides in the roots of leguminous plants like peas, gram, moong etc., and is instrumental in
providing these plants with a rich source of nitrogen.
Nitrogen Fixation
The process by which nitrogen is converted into a form that can be used by plants and other living
organisms is called nitrogen fixation.
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Q.1. Why do organisms need to take food?
Ans. Food is needed by all organisms for many purposes:
(a) The main function of food is to help in growth.
(b) Food provides energy for movements such as running, walking or raising our arm.
(c) Food is also needed for replacement and repairing damaged parts of body.
(d) Food gives us resistance to fight against diseases and protects us from infections

2. Distinguish between a parasite and a saprophyte.

Solution:
Saprophytes Parasites
Acquire nutrients from dead and decaying Parasites live on or in a host and get their food at the expense
matter. of their host.
Example: Fungi Example: Roundworm

3. How would you test the presence of starch in leaves?

Solution:
Take two potted plants of the same kind. Keep one in the dark for 72 hours and the other in the

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sunlight. Perform the iodine test with the leaves of both plants as given below. Now, leave the pot,
which was earlier kept in the dark, undisturbed for 3–4 days and perform the iodine test again on its

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leaves.
Iodine test:
Put iodine solution on the leaf.
Observation:
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Blue-black colour will be observed on the leaves of the plant kept in sunlight, which indicates the
presence of starch.
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Blue-black colour will not be observed on the leaves of plants kept in the darkroom. This indicates the
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absence of starch.
Q.4. Give a brief description of the process of synthesis of food in green plants.
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Ans. The green plants have chlorophyll in the leaves. The leaves use C02 and water to make food in
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presence of sunlight.
Q.5. Show with the help of a sketch that the plants are the ultimate source of food.

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Q.6. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Green plants are called ________________ since they synthesise their own food.
(b) The food synthesised by the plants is stored as ________________ .
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(c) In photosynthesis solar energy is captured by the pigment called ________________
(d) During photosynthesis plants take in ________________ and release ________________ .
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Ans. (a) autotrophs (b) starch (c) chlorophyll (d) carbon dioxide, oxygen

Q.7. Name the following:

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(i) A parasitic plant with yellow, slender and tubular stem.

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(ii) A plant that has both autotrophic and heterotrophic mode of nutrition.
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(iii) The pores through which leaves exchange gases.

Ans. (i) cuscuta (ii) Insectivorous plant (iii) Stomata
Q.8. Tick the correct answer:
(a) Amarbel is an example of:
(i) Autotroph (ii) Parasite (iii) Saprotroph (iv) Host

(b) The plant which traps and feeds on insects is:

(a) Cuscuta (ii) China rose {iii) Pitcher plant (iu) Rose
Ans. (a) (ii) Parasite (b) (iii) Pitcher plant

Q.9. Match the items given in Column I with those in Column II:
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Q.10. Mark T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if it is false:
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(i) Carbon dioxide is released during photosynthesis. (T/F)
(ii) Plants which synthesise their food themselves are called saprotrophs. (T/F)
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(iii) The product of photosynthesis is not a protein. (T/F)

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(iv) Solar energy is converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis. (T/F)
Ans. (a) F (ii) F (iii) T (iu) T
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Q.11.Choose the correct option from the following.

Which part of the plant takes in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis?
(i) Root hair (ii) Stomata (iii) Leaf veins (iv) Sepals
Ans. (ii) Stomata

Q.12. Choose the correct option from the following:

Plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere mainly through their:
(i) Roots (ii) Stem (iii) Flowers (iv) Leaves
Ans. (iv) Leaves