Transport in Plants

Long distance transport of water


  • For longer transport, land plants have developed a bulk flow / mass flow system, which is the movement of substances in bulk from one point to another as a result of pressure differences between the two points.
  • Apoplast and symplast are the 2 types of pathways of water passage into the xylem of root from the root hairs.
  • Apoplast pathway promotes water transport through the walls of cells without piercing any membrane (or) Cytoplasm, which occurs only upto Endodermis.
  • Symplast pathway (Transmembrane pathway) promoters water transport from a cell to another cell through their protoplasm (or) by Cytoplasmic bridges, called plasmodesmate.
  • A symplastic pathway is slower than apoplastic movements.
  • In order to possess a larger surface area and to extend to enough distance, young roots are in attachment with fungal hyphae, which absorb both minerals and water and provide it to root.

View this video for the topic Long distance transport of water from 5:16 to 21:19 

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