Transport in Plants

Plants must transport water and minerals from the roots to the leaves and glucose from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Plants accomplish the transport of water, minerals, and glucose through the xylem vascular tissue and the phloem vascular tissue. The xylem tissue transports water and dissolved minerals from the roots through root pressure and transpiration pull. The phloem transports glucose and water from the leaves following the pressure-flow theory. Both types of vascular tissue use active transport and osmosis to move these materials around.

Both glucose and water are needed for the growth of plants, but how do plants know what direction to grow roots and leaves in? How can they tell without eyes where the sun will be and where the soil is? The next lesson will explore the systems in plants that control where leaves and roots grow.

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Transport in Plants Parts 1-3 © YouTube FuseSchool- Global Education

Watch this series of videos for a review of how transport in the xylem and phloem work.