What is the tissue responsible for transporting water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant?

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which plant tissue carries water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots to the stems and leaves.

Step 2: Explain the concept Plants have two main vascular (transport) tissues:

• Xylem carries water and mineral salts from the roots upward. Its vessels and tracheids are dead, hollow, and thickened with lignin, which gives support and a clear path for water.
• Phloem carries manufactured food (mainly sucrose) from the leaves to other parts of the plant. This process is called translocation.

The other options:

• Epidermis is the outer protective layer of the plant. In roots, it also helps absorb water, but it does not transport it over long distances.
• Parenchyma is a ground tissue for storage, photosynthesis, and general filling. It is not the main transport tissue.

Step 3: Work through the options

• A. Xylem: transports water and minerals upward. ✔
• B. Epidermis: protection and absorption. ✘
• C. Parenchyma: storage and packing. ✘
• D. Phloem: transports food, not water and minerals. ✘

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. Xylem.

Exam tip: Remember "X" for eXtra water, "P" for Plant food. Xylem moves water, and Phloem moves food (both start with P: Phloem = Products of photosynthesis). JAMB often tests this contrast, so watch for questions that swap the two.