TRANSPORT OF MINERALS IN PLANT

Transport of minerals

• Plants obtain carbon and oxygen from CO2 from atmosphere while the remaining obtained from minerals and water for hydrogen in the soil.

Uptake of Mineral Ions

• Minerals are present in the soil in the form of charged particles or ions cannot move across the membrane because the concentration of minerals in the soil is lower than in the root so minerals enter into the root through active absorption of the cytoplasm of epidermal cell with the help of energy (ATP).
•  It absorbed from the soil by both active and passive transport.
• It pumps actively with the help of specific proteins present in the membrane of epidermal cells. It has benefit that it selects specific mineral ions.
• Due to presence of casparian strips the root epidermis can transport ions passively only in one direction.

Translocation of mineral ions

• After the uptake of ions, it reached to the xylem of stem and transported to all parts of the plants through transpiration system.
• All the ions transported up the stem by various sinks inside the plant body by transpiration pull. The sinks of the plant are found in the growing region like Apical and lateral meristems, young leaves, developing fruits, flowers, seeds and storage organs.
• Minerals ions immobilized from the older parts to younger parts. E.g. Older leaves export more minerals to the younger leaves before fall. Some mobilizing elements-P,S,N & K. Some immobilizing elements Ca, etc.

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