Railway Science (Biology-Nutrition in Plant) (Part-II)

The leaves have a green pigment called chlorophyll. It helps leaves to capture the energy of the sunlight. This energy is used to synthesize (prepare) food from carbon dioxide and water.
Since the synthesis of food occurs in the presence of sunlight, it is called photosynthesis. Oxygen released in photosynthesis is utilized by living organisms for their survival.

"In photosynthesis, plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose (sugar). This light energy originates from the sun and is captured by pigments like chlorophyll within the plant's leaves".

These are tiny openings or pores in plant tissue that allow for gas exchange. Stomata are typically found in plant leaves but can also be found in some stems.
Vascular bundle - A part of the transport system in vascular plants. It consists of two complex tissues, xylem and phloem.
Cortex - A plant tissue of unspecialized cells lying between the epidermis (surface cells) and the vascular, or conducting, tissues of stems and roots. Epidermis - A single layer of cells that covers the leaves, flowers, roots and stems of plants.

It is a tiny pore found in the epidermis of leaves that is mainly used for the exchange of gasses between plants and the atmosphere. It controls water loss by changing the size of the stomatal pore.

Saprotrophs take their food in solution form, from dead and decaying matter. Examples : Bacteria, fungi, Indian pipe, Corallorhiza orchids, Mushrooms and molds Mycorrhizal fungi and other fungus-like organisms. Pigeons are omnivorous, Algae are autotrophs and Man is omnivorous.

Parasitic plants attach themselves to the host plant to derive nutrition from them. All parasitic plants have modified roots, called Haustorium.
Parasites may cause harm to the host. Examples of parasites : Loranthus, Balanophora, Sandalwood tree.
Malaria Parasite - Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites called Plasmodia. Malaria is transmitted to humans by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles.
Bryophyllum is a group of plant species. Example - crassulaceae. Lice are parasitic insects that can be found on people's heads and bodies.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and some other Organisms use sunlight (trapped by chlorophyll), water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
6CO₂ (Carbon dioxide) + 12H₂O (Water) C₆H₁₂O₆ → (Glucose) + 6H₂O (Water) + 6O₂ (Oxygen).

Intercalary Meristems : These meristems are located at the internodes or the base of the leaves. They help in increasing the length of the internode. Apical Meristems : These meristems are located on the tip of the root stem.
They help in the growth of the root system as well as the shoot system. Lateral Meristems : Present on the lateral side of the stem and root of a plant. These meristems help in increasing the thickness of the plants.