Plant Physiology Transport Mechanisms

Flashcards related to key concepts in plant physiology, focusing on transport mechanisms, structures involved in transport, and processes relevant to plant growth and development.

Sucrose Transport

The process by which sucrose is moved through the plant, occurring both day and night.

Calvin Cycle

The set of chemical reactions that occur in the chloroplasts during photosynthesis, leading to the production of glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate.

Transient Starch

A type of starch that accumulates during the day and is degraded at night.

Source Tissue

The tissue in a plant that produces or stores sugars, often during photosynthesis.

Sink Tissue

The tissue in a plant that consumes or stores sugars, like roots and developing fruits.

Xylem Transport

The movement of water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves of a plant.

Phloem Transport

The movement of sucrose and other nutrients from the source tissues to sink tissues throughout the plant.

Water Potential

The potential energy of water in a system compared to pure water, dictating the direction of water movement.

Sieve Plates

Structures in the phloem that connect individual sieve elements and facilitate the flow of nutrients.

Companion Cells

Specialized cells in the phloem that support the function and viability of sieve elements.

Pressure Potential

The physical pressure exerted by water inside the cell against the cell wall.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to one of higher solute concentration.

Apoplastic Flow Loading

The process of loading sucrose into the phloem through the cell wall spaces.

Symplastic Isolation

A mechanism involving plasmodesmata that allows certain solutes to be retained while letting others diffuse.

Flow Loading

The process of loading sucrose into the phloem in a way that generates high pressure for transport.

Flow Unloading

The release of sucrose from the phloem into sink tissues.

Source to Sink Transition

The developmental shift of a plant tissue from importing sucrose to exporting it as it matures.