Question

What are the methods used by plants to get rid of excretory products?

Answer 1

Hint: Here, like human beings and animals excrete through their excretory systems, the plants too need to throw the unused or unwanted materials out from their body. We have to find the methods or ways in which they excrete their byproducts.

Complete answer: There are three methods or ways through which the plants will remove their body wastes as mentioned below:
A. Removal of solid waste materials through leaves and stems by the formation of gums and resins: Trees like Acacia, Dragon, Boswellia, Protium copal, and rubber plants excrete byproducts from stems and leaves cuts, nodes, and nodules in form of gums, resins, and aromatic oils. These gums and resins can be seen dropping out of the cuts, nodes, and nodules of the plant body. Rubber is a type of latex obtained from rubber tree leaves, nodes and stems. Turpentine is a type of oil obtained from Canada turpentine also known as Canada balsam, mastic is a plant resin obtained from a mastic tree known as Pistacia lentiscus.
B. Removal of gaseous materials through stomata: Stomata are in the lower marginal surface of leaves of all plants. These porous openings help plants to exchange gases. During respiration, the plants and trees respire taking in CO$_2$ and giving out O$_2$ as a byproduct at day time. But at night, they give away CO$_2$ gas. Lenticels are pores on plants and trees are the internal tissues on the bark of trees. They provide a pathway for the direct exchange of gases.
C. Removal of water through transpiration: Excess water also comes out through the stomata of all plants and trees. There are also small openings called lenticels on stems, leaves, and flowers. So, transpiration takes place through these pores. Xylem, which is present in the roots, stems, and leaves of plants helps in the transpiration of water.

Note: The solid wastes ooze out through the openings like cuts on the stem, nodes, and nodules. Stomata are the small opening on the lower marginal surface of the leaves of all plants and trees used to remove excess water vapour and gases. The removal of water vapor through stomata and lenticels is called transpiration.