Free «Photosynthesis in Plants» Essay Sample

Plants require light to form carbohydrates for their survival. It is possible through a process of photosynthesis where the green pigment called chlorophyll that is located in the chloroplast of leaves is very essential. ‘Light is required together with water and carbon dioxide for plants to make their own food’ (Kaur, pp323). Once glucose has been formed in the leaves, some is stored as starch while the other is translocated to other parts of the plants like the flowers in form of sucrose via the phloem tissue. In the flowers, sucrose is converted to glucose which is then used for growth, development and respiration.

Once cut, photosynthesis in plants will continue for a shorter period before the plant dies. For flowers, they will quickly die because there is lack of glucose for energy to make them stay. For instance, cutting flowers stop the supply of glucose and water which are necessary for their survival. The flowers also do not have starch as is the case with leaves hence nothing is available to give more glucose. Moreover, Chlorophyll is not found in the flowers and this makes them unable to carry out photosynthesis. Detached flowers die faster than those left on the plant because they lack a continuous supply of glucose and other sugars as well as water from the parent plant.

‘However, attached flowers receive a steady supply of sugars especially glucose and water that has been absorbed by the plant making them stay longer. The process of dying of cut flowers can be reduced by keeping them in water mixed with household bleach, sugar and lemon then stored in a cool place. This reduces the rate of bacterial growth and water loss while increasing turgidity hence making them to stay longer and fresh. Therefore light, water and chlorophyll are all vital for photosynthesis to take place in plants.