Which tissue carries nutrients and sugars from leaves to the rest of the plant?

Which tissue carries nutrients and sugars from leaves to the rest of the plant?

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

Answer: (B)

The movement of nutrients and sugars from the leaves to other parts of the plant is done by the phloem. Phloem is the vascular tissue specialized for translocation of photosynthates (mainly sugars like sucrose) from sources such as leaves to sinks like roots, developing fruits, and growing shoots. This transport, called phloem transport or translocation, uses living sieve-tube elements and companion cells and can move in multiple directions depending on where sugars are needed. Sugars are actively loaded into the phloem in source tissues, creating a pressure difference that pushes the sap toward areas of need or storage. By contrast, xylem moves water and minerals upward from the roots and does not carry sugars; cortex is a storage and support tissue in the stem or root, and the outer protective layer (epidermis) is not a transport tissue.

The movement of nutrients and sugars from the leaves to other parts of the plant is done by the phloem. Phloem is the vascular tissue specialized for translocation of photosynthates (mainly sugars like sucrose) from sources such as leaves to sinks like roots, developing fruits, and growing shoots. This transport, called phloem transport or translocation, uses living sieve-tube elements and companion cells and can move in multiple directions depending on where sugars are needed. Sugars are actively loaded into the phloem in source tissues, creating a pressure difference that pushes the sap toward areas of need or storage. By contrast, xylem moves water and minerals upward from the roots and does not carry sugars; cortex is a storage and support tissue in the stem or root, and the outer protective layer (epidermis) is not a transport tissue.