When I was reading up on plant nutrition and watering I came across references to vascular plants, xylem, xylem sap and related stuff that I skimmed over.
Mostly because I saw xylem and thought xylophone, which made me think glockenspiel which made me fear hearing those words might lead to actually hearing a xylophone followed by a glockenspiel; enough aural assault to make any one run for the hills; fingers stuffed in ears.
But it’s time to overcome my xy phobia and investigate further. Turns out xylon is the classical Greek word for wood (seems xylophone can be loosely translated as wooden sound) and that’s the last note on matters (un) musical before I swap the focus of Saturday Swot Shop back to plants.
What is Xylem?
- It’s a type of tissue found in vascular plants. Vascular plants have complex tissue through which they conduct water. The tomato is a vascular plant in which xylem is found along with another tissue, phloem .
What’s the significance of these tissues?
- They are transport tissues. They transport water and soluble nutrients around the plant. Xylem sap is liquid transported via the xylem and constitutes water and mineral nutrients and phloem transports the sugars made by photosynthesis.
How does this transportation work?
- There seem to be two main processes. A pull and a push.
- The first is the Transpirational Pull in which water is drawn up through the plant. An upwards pull is caused by the evaporation of water from the plants leaves, which creates tension that causes the xylem to pull water up from the soil and roots.
- The second is Root Pressure. Water moves by osmosis into the root which creates a positive pressure which forces the sap upwards.
I’d not thought about how water moves upwards through a plant .
Glocken amazing !
