Lim Y K
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Why do phloem and xylem not contain starch?
Why do phloem and xylem not contain starch?
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Looking at it from a different "why":
Starches are not very soluble in water, so dissolving and transporting them in water is not likely. Sugars like glucose and sucrose are soluble.
Actually this a great question. There are species that have starches in underground stems and some starch in the leaves. A priori, you would expect starch to be moved around in phloem in such a plant, at least, to account for getting the starch buildup in the underground stem, since starch is a storage product for photosynthetic sugars.
Starches are not very soluble in water, so dissolving and transporting them in water is not likely. Sugars like glucose and sucrose are soluble.
Actually this a great question. There are species that have starches in underground stems and some starch in the leaves. A priori, you would expect starch to be moved around in phloem in such a plant, at least, to account for getting the starch buildup in the underground stem, since starch is a storage product for photosynthetic sugars.
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