Horseradish: Armoracia rusticana

Nutrition

This is how the Horseradish plant gets its nutrients.

As with most plants, Horseradish is an autotroph and undergoes photosynthesis to acquire energy from the sun. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of the horseradish. Light is absorbed through the green chlorophyll pigment in the leaves. Water is drawn up from the roots and up the xylem to the leaf, and Carbon dioxide enters the leaf from the stomata (small openings on the bottoms of leaves that open and close to exchange gasses). At the end of this process the plant is left with sugar to be used for generating ATP or adenosine triphospate. This is the basic molecule for energy in both plants and animals.photosynthesis sketch

wikimedia commons user A09kg

 

Once photosynthesis occurs and sugar is made, the sugar is transported throughout the plant. This is done by the phloem. Phloem tissue is made up of sieve tube members and companion cells. The sieve tube members to help move the sugar throughout the plant. Osmotic pressure from the xylem that is carrying water up to the leaves, helps force the sugar down to the rest of the plant. In many plants sugar flows from the leaves down to the roots. In flowering plants, sugar is needed in the flower. Active transport is used to push the sugars up to the destination.Horseradish plant

Flora batava by Jan Kops wikimedia commons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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