Question

Summarize the mechanism of transportation in plants highlighting ascent of sap and translocation.

a) Ascent of sap is the movement of water from roots to leaves, and translocation is the movement of nutrients throughout the plant.
b) Ascent of sap is the movement of nutrients from leaves to roots, and translocation is the movement of water throughout the plant.
c) Ascent of sap and translocation are the same processes.
d) Ascent of sap is the movement of water from leaves to roots, and translocation is the movement of water from roots to leaves.

Answer 1

The ascent of sap is the movement of water through xylem from roots to leaves, while translocation is the bidirectional movement of photosynthates through phloem from leaves to other parts of the plant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mechanism of transportation in plants consists of two key processes: the ascent of sap and translocation. The ascent of sap refers to the unidirectional movement of water and minerals from the roots to the leaves through the xylem tissue. This process is driven by factors such as water potential, evapotranspiration, and stomatal regulation. Translocation, on the other hand, involves the movement of photosynthates (sucrose and other nutrients) from the photosynthesizing leaves (the source) to various plant parts like growing shoots, roots, seeds, fruits, and storage organs (the sinks) through the phloem.

This bidirectional movement is governed by pressure differences created by the loading of sucrose into the phloem, generating a flow from the source to the sink areas, which may change as the plant develops and different parts serve as sources or sinks.