Download Plant growth - WordPress.com

Plant growth and
transportation
Where does stuff go?

Plants move everything through the xylem
and phloem

Together they make the vascular tissue

Water is moved up the xylem by
transpiration: water is sucked from the roots
to the leaves and evaporated

The sugars made are carried in the phloem
to the ovaries or roots to be stored or to
other cells to be used
What is it used for?

The sugars can be broken down and used for energy (cellular respiration)

Or can be broken apart and used to make building blocks for more cells

New cells are made in the meristems (where the plant is actively growing)
How do they grow?

Plants move in response to stimuli: tropism

Can respond to gravity, light, and touch
Light

Going towards the light: phototropism

Plant hormones auxins cause rapid growth in shady parts of the plant
causing the plant to aim towards the sun

Heliotropism: plants tracking the sunlight over the course of the day
Gravity

Geotropism: plants growing in response to gravity

Roots have positive geotropism

Stems are negatively geotropic

Auxins slow root growth on the side with stronger gravity causing the roots to turn down toward gravity
Touch

Thigmotropism: plants responding to touch

Used to help plants grow around things

Roots are able to grow down and around rocks

Some plants use it for defense


Some plants use it for support


Sensitive plant
Vines or climbing beans
Some plants use it to hunt

Venus fly trap