Question

Transport of water and dissolved minerals occur through
a) Phloem
b) Xylem
c) Sieve tubes
d) Sclerenchyma

Answer 1

Hint: Plants take in water and minerals present in the soil through the root system present in them. Through root, they transport these materials into the other parts of the plant body for various functions to be done. They require a special structure through which transportation can be done easily.

Complete answer:
Transport of water and minerals occur in the plant from root to the leaves and other parts of the plant. They occur through xylem cells present in the stem of the plant. Xylem sap travels against the gravitational force of the Earth hence huge force is required to transport water and minerals to the plant parts. To assist xylem tracheids and vessel elements are present. Tracheids are found in most of the plant division and vessel elements are present in the angiosperms. Xylem cells are dead, elongated, and hollow. They have a secondary cell wall and pits are also present in them. In stems, the vascular bundles are present in the scattered order. Vascular tissue is present in the leaves and is responsible for providing the support system of the leaf.

Additional information:
- Phloem is used to transport various materials like sugars and organic compounds. The minerals travel through the diffusion between cells and it helps in traveling of minerals from leaves down to the roots. Phloem is made up of sieve tubes and companion cells. Their main function is to conduct food from leaves to the rest of the plant. Phloem is alive cells that provide energy for the active transportation of sucrose around the plant.
- Sieve tubes are the living cells. They are found in the angiosperm plants. They don’t have structures like nucleus, ribosomes, and vacuole.
So, the answer is ‘b) Xylem’.

Note: Both xylem and phloem are used in the transportation of water and minerals. Xylem only transports water and water-soluble minerals. Phloem transports the sugars, proteins, and organic materials produced in the plants to other parts of the plant body.