L4: Meristems II, Secondary growth and vascular system Flashcards
What is meant by the root:shoot ratio?
Balance needs to be maintained between total SA available for food manufacturing and SA available for water & mineral absorption.
What happens to the root:shoot ratio as plants age?
Decreases gradually.
What trend do roots follow as they grow through soil?
Follow the path of least resistance.
What is the rootcap?
Mass of living parenchyma cells that protects apical meristem and aids in penetration of the soil.
What is produced by cells in the root cap? What does it do?
Mucilage; lubricates root during passage through soil.
What are the mucilage-producing cells called?
Border cells
What are some additional roles of border cells and their exudates?
Protect meristem from infection
Maintaining root-soil contact
Mobilization of elements taken up by roots
Short-term desiccation prevention
Specific bacteria attraction or repulsion
Why is the rootcap called the multifunctional molecular relay station?
Because in addition to protection, it senses, processes, and transmits signals to meristem and elongation region of the root.
What is the columella of the root cap?
Central column of cells.
What is the lateral rootcap?
Lateral portion of cells on the rootcap that surrounds columella.
What part of the rootcap senses gravity and water potential gradients?
Columella.
What is the difference between open type and closed type meristems?
Closed type: rootcap, vascular cylinder, and cortex are their own individual layers and have their own initials.
Open type: all regions arise from one group of initials.
What is the quiescent center of the rootcap?
The relatively inactive region of the meristem (i.e., does not divide as often).
What is the region of cell division?
Region where cells divide actively.
What causes the majority of root length increase?
Elongation of cells in the area of elongation.
Where does root growth occur in the root?
Near the root tip