Question

Waste products are stored as resins and gums in the
(a) Old Xylem
(b) Young Xylem
(c) Old Phloem
(d) Young Phloem

Answer 1

Hint: Excretion is the process of elimination of toxic waste products from the body. But plants lack a well- developed excretory system, unlike animals. So, in plants, the excretion is not very complicated, and sometimes non- toxic organic by- products remain stored in their body.

Complete answer:
The resins and gums are stored in the plant part called Old Xylem. Other than that, the by- products of metabolism like gums, latex, resins, and oils that are not useful to the plant are stored in plant parts like barks, stems, leaves, etc. Eventually, these parts are shed off, getting rid of the waste. Plants chiefly produce two gaseous waste products, i.e. oxygen during photosynthesis and carbon dioxide during respiration. Excretion of gaseous waste products takes place through the stomatal pores on leaves.
Oxygen released during photosynthesis is re- used for respiration, and the carbon dioxide released during respiration is taken up for harvesting energy through photosynthesis. Excess of water is also excreted through the stomatal pores and from other plant surfaces. This process of elimination of water is also known as transpiration.
However, the other metabolic wastes are stored as saps, gums, resins, etc., which are by- products of various metabolic reactions.
So, the correct answer is ‘ Old Xylem.’

Note:
- Xylem does not primarily function as storage organs or waste disposal systems.
- Xylem is a part of the vascular system of plants.
- Xylem transport water and dissolved products, from the roots to the shoots, stems, and leaves.
- Storage of waste like gums and resins is only a secondary function of the old xylem.