Plant nutrition: process

The whole process of plant nutrition can be divided into several different phases :

Nutrient absorption and transport to the xylem

The process begins when the plant absorbs mineral salts and water from its roots. The absorption is carried out by means of specialized parts of the roots, which are called absorbent hairs. Once absorbed, the roots transport the nutrients and water to the xylem, which is where the sap is conducted.

Transport of water and mineral salts

The combination of mineral salts or micronutrients absorbed by the roots and the water gives rise to what we call raw sap .

Unlike animals, which spend large amounts of energy pumping blood throughout their bodies, plants are capable of raising sap to their leaves with very low energy expenditure. They do this through the accumulation of water in the root tissues, which pushes the sap upwards, in addition to the main force, which is created by the suction produced by the transpiration of water in the leaves.

Thus, water for plants is doubly important, since it fulfills the functions of both nutrition and helps transport the sap to different parts of the plant.

Gas exchange

Plant gas exchange occurs in stomata and lenticels . The former are located mainly on the underside of the leaves, although they can be found in lesser concentration throughout the epidermal tissue. The latter, on the other hand, are found in the epidermis of branches and stems of woody plants. Find out more about What are the stomata of a plant here.

Thanks to them, the plant absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide in its respiration, a process that is reversed during the day when photosynthesis occurs and, therefore, it then absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen.

Photosynthesis and nutrient distribution

In this phase, the leaves, thanks to chlorophyll , manage to produce glucose from carbon dioxide, water and light energy. It is an incredibly important process, which has shaped the world as we know it today, as it has served to fill it with vegetation of all kinds.

During photosynthesis, a mixture of sugars, salts and amnioacids is synthesized in the leaves, which is what we call processed sap and it is already usable food for the plant. These nutrients are transported by the phloem to the areas of consumption, such as fruits, seeds or developing areas.

Plant respiration

Plant respiration usually occurs at night. Like other living things, plants use oxygen to break down nutrients, such as starch. Throughout this process, which occurs in the stomata, the plant absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Learn more about this topic in this other post about Where plants breathe and how they do it .

Besides all this, there are special cases of plant nutrition , like those of carnivorous plants , the parasitic plants or symbiotic with its own feeding mechanisms.

The main difference between the nutrition of plants and that of animals is that, while plants are mostly autotrophic organisms, except for very specific cases, animals are always heterotrophic organisms .

• The autotrophic nutrition is characterized by being able to create organic matter from inorganic elements.
• The heterotrophic nutrition , however, is one in which the body converts organic matter nutrients.

In this other article you can learn more about the Difference between autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms with examples .

Because of this, plants form the base of the food chain, since they are responsible for transforming light and micronutrients or inorganic elements of the environment into organic matter and macronutrients. Later, the herbivorous animals feed on them, and they will produce in their organisms other structures and nutrients such as animal proteins and fats, which will be absorbed by the carnivorous animals.

Now that you know well the process of nutrition of plants , you may want to learn more about The life cycle of plants and Types of plant tissues, their characteristics and functions with these other AgroCorrn articles.