L4: Meristems II, Secondary growth and vascular system Flashcards

1
Q

What is meant by the root:shoot ratio?

A

Balance needs to be maintained between total SA available for food manufacturing and SA available for water & mineral absorption.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What happens to the root:shoot ratio as plants age?

A

Decreases gradually.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What trend do roots follow as they grow through soil?

A

Follow the path of least resistance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the rootcap?

A

Mass of living parenchyma cells that protects apical meristem and aids in penetration of the soil.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is produced by cells in the root cap? What does it do?

A

Mucilage; lubricates root during passage through soil.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the mucilage-producing cells called?

A

Border cells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are some additional roles of border cells and their exudates?

A

Protect meristem from infection
Maintaining root-soil contact
Mobilization of elements taken up by roots
Short-term desiccation prevention
Specific bacteria attraction or repulsion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why is the rootcap called the multifunctional molecular relay station?

A

Because in addition to protection, it senses, processes, and transmits signals to meristem and elongation region of the root.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the columella of the root cap?

A

Central column of cells.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the lateral rootcap?

A

Lateral portion of cells on the rootcap that surrounds columella.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What part of the rootcap senses gravity and water potential gradients?

A

Columella.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the difference between open type and closed type meristems?

A

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.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the quiescent center of the rootcap?

A

The relatively inactive region of the meristem (i.e., does not divide as often).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the region of cell division?

A

Region where cells divide actively.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What causes the majority of root length increase?

A

Elongation of cells in the area of elongation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Where does root growth occur in the root?

A

Near the root tip

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the region of maturation?

A

Where most cells of primary tissues mature and where root hairs are produced.

18
Q

Why are root hairs developed in the region of maturation and not the region of elongation?

A

If produced in region of elongation, they would be sheared off by the roots pushing through the soil.

19
Q

Are there strict boundaries between the regions of cell division, elongation, and maturation?

A

No, there are gradual transitions between each region. Sometimes they overlap.

20
Q

What are the three tissue systems of the root in the primary stage of growth?

A

epidermis, cortex and vascular tissues.

21
Q

What shape do vascular tissues typically form in the root?

A

Cylinder

22
Q

What facilitates the uptake and water of minerals in the roots?

A

The root hairs

23
Q

Why are root hairs ideal for taking in water and minerals?

A

Greatly increase the absorptive surface area of the root.

24
Q

Where are root hairs mainly confined?

A

Region of maturation.

25
Q

What are mycorrhizae?

A

Symbiotic associations between fungi and roots

26
Q

Why are micorrhizae beneficial?

A

Enables plant to obtain water and nutrients from much larger volume of soil than made possible by root hairs.

27
Q

What tissue takes up the majority of the primary body of roots?

A

The cortex

28
Q

Why does cortical tissue have an abundance of intracellular spaceS?

A

Essential for aeration of roots.

29
Q

What are aerenchyma?

A

Parenchyma cells with large and abundant intercellular spaces.

30
Q

How are cortical cells attached to each other?

A

Plasmodesmata attach protoplasts to each other.

31
Q

What pathways can substances moving across the cortex take?

A

Symplastic - protoplast to protoplast
Apoplastic - via cell walls
Both

32
Q

How does the endodermis differ from the cortex?

A

Tightly packed, lacks air spaces.

33
Q

What do the Casparian strips in the endodermis do?

A

Prevent movement of water and ions

34
Q

What is the exodermis?

A

Compact layers of cells with Casparian strips in most angiosperm roots.

35
Q

What does the exodermis do?

A

Prevent water loss and protect against microorganism attacks.

36
Q

What makes up the vascular cylinder?

A

Primary vascular tissue and the pericycle.

37
Q

Why is the pericycle considered part of the vascular cylinder?

A

It originates from procambium like vascular tissues.

38
Q

What does secondary growth consist of?

A
  1. Formation of secondary vascular tissue
  2. Formation of periderm
39
Q

Does the shoot apical meristem have its own version of a rootcap?

A

No. But it is usually covered by young leaves, which offer some protection.

40
Q

Differentiate between the ways in which tunica and corpus cells divide. What do these divisions result in in terms of plant growth?

A

Tunica divide anticlinally, contributing to surface growth.
Corpus divides periclinally, adding bulk to the developing shoot.

41
Q

Outline the layers of eudicot apices.

A

L1 and L2 = tunica
L3 = initial corpus