Question

Which tissue is responsible for secondary growth in plants?
A. Vascular cambium
B. Xylem
C. Phloem
D. Cork

Answer 1

Hint: When a plant sprouts from a seed or its vegetative elements, it must eventually develop leaves, stems, and roots. Primary growth begins in the apical meristem and develops from there. Aside from the elongation of the roots and stems, secondary growth refers to the rise in the circumference of the plants as time passes. The apical meristem exerts major growth effort. Plants' secondary growth is controlled by the lateral meristem tissues. The activity of the lateral meristems, which are lacking in herbs and herbaceous plants, causes secondary growth of plants to increase stem thickness. The vascular cambium and cork are the two types of lateral tissues involved in secondary growth.

Complete answer:
Option A: Plants' secondary growth is controlled by the vascular cambium. It is a thin layer of cells that separates the xylem and phloem in plants. With the plant's secondary growth, which increases its girth size, these cells divide and multiply.
So, option A is correct.
Option B: The vascular plant's xylem is the tissue that transfers water and nutrients from the soil to the stems and leaves. The xylem performs an important supporting' role in the plant, providing strength to tissues and organs, as well as maintaining plant architecture and bending resistance.
So, option B is not correct.
Option C: The vascular tissue that transports and distributes organic nutrients is known as phloem. The phloem also serves as a signalling system and a structural component of the plant body. Secondary phloem is created in secondary-growing plants, and the primary phloem usually collapses.
So, option C is not correct.
Option D: The cork cambium is a lateral meristem that is responsible for secondary growth in roots and stems, replacing the epidermis. It's one of the plant's meristems, which are a collection of tissues made up of embryonic disc (undifferentiated) cells from which the plant grows.
So, option D is not correct.

So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note:
A layer of meristematic plant tissues is sandwiched between vascular tissues—primary xylem and phloem—in the primary stage. This layer does not appear as a continuous layer, but rather as patches. When these patches reach maturity, they divide the vascular tissues. Vascular cambium is the name for this type of tissue. In plants, they create the cambial ring.
The interfascicular cambium is formed when the medullary rays next to the intrafascicular cambium develop into meristematic tissue during secondary growth. The cambial ring is made up of both intrafascicular and interfascicular cambiums.