Water transport in plants

 Transport systems are found in the vascular plants. Two types of vascular tissue:

• Xylem = transports water and minerals in the plants
• Phloem = transport food materials; synthesized by the leaves during photosynthesis and hormones.

Transport of water and minerals in plant 

The path taken is : soil - roots - stems - leaves 

Most plants secure the water & minerals from their roots. The minerals (e.g., K+ , Ca+) travel dissolved in the water. 

Water & dissolve mineral nutrients enter the plant via 2 routes 

• water & mineral nutrients enter the plant via 2 routes

1. Symplast: it crosses the plasma membrane and then passes from cell to cell through plasmodesmata.
2. Apolast: in the spaces between the cells and in the cells walls themselves. This water has not crossed a plasma membrane. 
   

Pathway of water into roots 

• Access water to the apoplast: Uptake of soil solution (water + minerals) of root hairs.
• Access water to the symplast: Water + minerals across the plasma membrane of root hairs.
• Water and minerals move along the apoplast and transported into the protoplast of epidermis cells, then cortex cells and move inward via the symplast.