nutrition in plants

1. NUTRITION

2. Nutrition
Nutrition is the process of providing or obtaining food necessary for health,
survival, and growth of an organism. In this process, an organism takes in, digests,
and uses different substances obtained from various food sources. These
substances, called nutrients, provide energy for the organism’s metabolic
processes such as growth, maintenance, reproduction and also immunity.
Nutrient – refers to any substance required for the growth and maintenance of an
organism. The two types of organisms based on the mode of nutrition are:

3. Modes of Nutrition
Organisms have different modes of nutrition. They can be classified based on how
they obtain food.
1.)Autotrophic organisms can manufacture their own nutrients by synthesizing
inorganic materials. Depending on the energy source, autotrophs are of two types:
a. Photoautotrophic. Photoautotrophic organisms directly harnessed the energy
from the sun and other inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide and water to
form organic food. They are called photoautotrophs. Examples are plants and some
forms of bacteria and protists.

4. b. Chemoautotrophic. Chemoautotrophic organisms use chemicals to produce
simpler organic substances important for their survival. Such organisms are called
chemoautotrophs, like Archaea and most bacteria that live in extreme environments
such as volcanoes and deep-sea vents. They synthesized inorganic substances like
hydrogen sulfide, sulfur, and ammonia.
2. Heterotrophic
Heterotrophic organisms called heterotrophs cannot make their own food, thus
obtain their energy by digesting organic matter. Heterotrophs include all animals,
fungi, and some bacteria. The heterotrophic mode of nutrition can be classified into
saprophytic, parasitic, and holozoic nutrition.
A. Saprophytic or saprotrophic- Saprotrophic organisms obtain their nutrients from
dead organic matter.
These organisms secrete digestive juices to the surroundings, which will be later
absorbed through their body surface. Saprophytes include fungi and bacteria.

5. B. Parasitic. Parasitic organisms obtain nutrients from another organism. Parasitic
nutrition is exhibited by some plants and animals.
• Parasite is the organism that takes food from the host.
• Host is the organism where food is taken.
Parasite can either be outside or inside the host
Ectoparasitism-this type of parasitism happens when the parasite is outside the
body of the host. Examples are lice in humans, fleas in dogs.
Endoparasitism-this type of parasitism involves parasites that live inside the body
of the host. Endoparasite includes tapeworm, pin worms, round worms, and
hookworm. These worms negatively affect the health of humans.

6. C.) Holozoic. In this mode of nutrition, organisms ingest solid or liquid food. The
food is then digested and absorbed by the body. It is subdivided based on the type
of matter digested.
1. Herbivorous organism that in only plants as source of their energy.
2. Carnivorous organisms that eat other animals
3. Omnivorous organism that take in both plants and animals.

7. NUTRITION IN PLANTS: AUTOTROPHIC
• Autotrophic Nutrition
• Prepare their own food by
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

8. NUTRITION IN PLANTS: AUTOTROPHIC
• Autotrophic Nutrition
• Prepare their own food by
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Light
Prepare

9. PHOTOSYNTHESIS
- Process by which green plants prepare their own food in presence of sunlight.
Chlorophyll
-takes place in leaves in plants

10. PHOTOSYNTHESIS: RAW MATERIALS
• Chlorophyll
• Sunlight
• Water
• Carbon Dioxide

11. PHOTOSYNTHESIS: CHEMICAL EQUATION
• Chlorophyll
• Sunlight
• Water
• Carbon Dioxide
CARBON
DIOXIDE + H2O
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
CARBOHYDRATE + O2 + ENERGY
+

12. PHOTOSYNTHESIS: CHEMICAL EQUATION
• Chlorophyll
• Sunlight
• Water
• Carbon Dioxide
CARBON
DIOXIDE + H2O
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
CARBOHYDRATE + O2 + ENERGY
+
CO2 +. H20
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
C6H12O6 +. 02. +. ENERGY

13. HOW IS FOOD STORED IN PLANTS?
Food prepared is stored in the for of Starch
STARCH

14. HETEROTROPHIC NUTRITION IN PLANTS
• Some plants depends on other plants/animals for their food.
• Lack Chlorophyll – No photosynthesis
PARASITIC PLANTS
• Plants which take nutrients from another living plant.
Cuscuta or Dodders
INSECTIVOROUS PLANTS
• Leaves are modified into structures that help to trap
insects.
• Example:Pitcher plant

15. SAPROTROPHS
• Organisms which obtain their food from dead & decaying matter.
• Example :fungi
SYMBIOSIS
- As association between two or more species where one/both are mutually benefitted.

16. Parts of the plants that absorb Nutrients:
1. Roots – provide support by anchoring plant and absorbing water and
nutrients needed for plant growth.
2. Stems – carry water and nutrients taken up by the roots to the leaves.
3. Leaves – are the food making factories of green plants.
Elements of the Plants:
• Macronutrients – (Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Potassium, Calcium,
Magnesium, and Phosphorus).
• Micronutrients – (Chlorine, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Boron, Copper, and
Molybdenum).

17. Nutritional Adaptation of Plants:
a. Symbiosis of plants and soil microbes – the most important source
nitrogen-fixing bacteria is the symbiotic interaction between soil bacteria and
legume plants.
b. Symbiosis of plants and fungi – it is common in some vascular plants.
The presence of fungi serves as an extension of the root system. The fungi are
responsible for the enhancement of phosphorus and transfer some nutrients
such as, zinc and copper.
c. Parasitism – a parasitic plant depends on its host for survival.
d. Predation – an insectivorous plant has specialized leaves to attract and
digest insects.

18. Symplast route-route through plasmodesmata and;
Apoplast route-route along cells walls.

19. Do plants have specialized absorptive structures?
1. Root hairs- root hairs or epidermal outgrowth of root cells increase the absorbing capacity of the roots.
2. Root nodules -these are localized swelling in roots of certain plants where bacterial cells exits symbiotically
with the plant. The bacteria help the plant fix nitrogen and in turn, the bacteria are able to
utilize some organic compounds provided by the plant.
3. Mycorrhizae-a symbiotic interaction between a young root and a fungus. The fungus obtain sugars and
nitrogen containing compound from root cells while the plant is able to get some scarce minerals that the
fungus is better able to absorb from the soil.