Which term refers to the vascular tissue responsible for transporting sugars from photosynthetic tissues to other parts of the plant?

Which term refers to the vascular tissue responsible for transporting sugars from photosynthetic tissues to other parts of the plant?

• A. Phloem
• B. Xylem
• C. Cortex
• D. Pith

Answer: (A)

Sugars produced by photosynthesis are moved through phloem, the vascular tissue dedicated to distributing energy-rich compounds from where they’re made to where they’re needed or stored. In the leaves, sugars like sucrose are actively loaded into phloem sieve tube elements, a process aided by companion cells. This loading lowers the water potential in the phloem, drawing in water and creating turgor pressure that pushes the sap through the phloem toward sinks such as growing tissues, roots, or fruits. Xylem, on the other hand, is the tissue that carries water and minerals from roots upward, not sugars. Cortex and pith are ground tissues that provide support and storage rather than transport of photosynthates.

Sugars produced by photosynthesis are moved through phloem, the vascular tissue dedicated to distributing energy-rich compounds from where they’re made to where they’re needed or stored. In the leaves, sugars like sucrose are actively loaded into phloem sieve tube elements, a process aided by companion cells. This loading lowers the water potential in the phloem, drawing in water and creating turgor pressure that pushes the sap through the phloem toward sinks such as growing tissues, roots, or fruits. Xylem, on the other hand, is the tissue that carries water and minerals from roots upward, not sugars. Cortex and pith are ground tissues that provide support and storage rather than transport of photosynthates.