Question

What is translocation?

Answer 1

Hint: Translocation is a process that occurs in plants to deliver nutrients and other molecules from one place to another throughout the organism. It occurs through the phloem pathway or phloem transport system. The nutrients are translocated in a solute form called phloem sap. The nutrients translocated are mainly sugars, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The translocation process is critical to the proper growth of plants.

Complete answer:
Translocation occurs in phloem. Through translocation various plant hormones, proteins and nucleic acids are also moved throughout the plant. These are also known as information molecules. Translocation of information molecules helps the plant to sense and respond to varying conditions or challenges in the environment.
Translocation is of two types- longitudinal and lateral. In longitudinal translocation, the food material travels in a downward or upward direction. The pathway of food flow is not always constant in the plant. It can be either upward or downward.
The leaves of the plant produce food which travels downward to the stem and root. The upward movement will be when the seedling or the developed new shoot performs photosynthetic activity. The upward translocation also occurs when food stored in older parts moves upward to the sprouting buds. The direction of translocation is always from the region of higher concentration to the region of lower concentration.
Lateral translocation means the transport of nutrients both outward to the cortex and inward to the centre.

Note:
The word translocation also refers to a chromosomal abnormality in which a part of chromosome breaks and reattaches to a different chromosome. Chromosomal translocations can be detected by analysing the karyotypes of the cells. Chromosomal translocation is of two types- reciprocal and non-reciprocal. Chromosomal translocations are usually seen in cases of leukemia, for example acute myeloid leukemia.