Question

Does stem produce food for any plant?

Answer 1

Hint: Green stems of some plants are modified for photosynthesis. Green stems contain chlorophyll and produce their food for survival. This type of photosynthesis occurs in plants with reduced leaves and the CAM pathway is mainly followed in these plants.

Complete answer: Stems bear nodes and internodes. The apical part of the stem has shoots and the basal part has roots. The major function of stems is the conduction of water and minerals from roots to other parts of the plant.
Stem also stores food. Green stems can synthesize their food by the process of photosynthesis. Green stems have chlorophyll. Leaves are absent in cactus and spines are present over the body. The stem of the cactus has chlorophyll and produce food through photosynthesis for survival. In cactus, CAM Pathway operates in which stomata open only at night so that less moisture is lost in transpiration. This process is common in succulents. In this type, Carbon dioxide is stored and used for photosynthesis until sunlight is available.

Additional information:
Generally, most of the food is produced by plants by the process of photosynthesis in the leaves. Water and minerals are taken up by the roots. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by the leaves to produce carbohydrates by using sunlight. Prepared food is then transported to other parts of plants like stems, branches, and roots by phloem and the process is called translocation.

Note: Green stems are capable of photosynthesis because of the presence of a pigment that is chlorophyll and can produce and store food. Cactus is one example of the stem that produces food through photosynthesis because leaves are reduced in spines in cactus. CAM pathway is followed in cactus which helps in storing carbon dioxide and thereby increasing the chances of photosynthesis.