2

CHAPTER 1

Basic Concepts of
Agricultural Crop Production

take the challenge!

At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to:
Lesson 1: Define and Appreciate Agriculture
Lesson 2: Understand the Brief History of Agriculture
Lesson 3: Distinguish the Branches of Agriculture
Lesson 4: Determine the Types of Agricultural Crops

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LESSON 1:

DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE OF

AGRICULTURE

What is Agriculture?
Nominal Definition (explains what a name is)
Agriculture comes from the Latin words ager, agri meaning field and
cultura meaning growing, cultivation. Therefore it means “growing and
cultivating of the field.”
Real Definition (explains what a thing is)
Agriculture is the science or practice of farming which includes the
cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and fruit-bearing trees. It also
considers the raising of animals to provide food and other raw materials which
can produce another product.

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Elements in the Definition of Agriculture

 It is a science, because of systematically organized body of knowledge
which not only based on opinions, hypothesis and theories but on factual
and absolute knowledge. Also, it is a practice because of the actual
applications of the ideas.
 Of farming, because is the act or process of working the ground,
planting seeds, and growing edible plants. It can also include raising
animals for milk, meat and wool.

VALUE OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture has a vital role in the life and progress of an economy. It
does provide food which is the basic needs of mankind, not only to sustain food
and raw material but also employment opportunities to a vast number of the
population of a country. It can be a source of livelihood which can contribute to
micro and macro community, supplying and sustaining food and fodder that are
the basic necessities of human to live, promoting the diplomatic friendship
facilitated by trading system in local, national and international arena,
marketable surplus products, source of saving of the entire national budget and
basis of the economic development of a country.
Without agriculture, the economy will be at high risk to food security
that may result into serious national problems. The effect may be adverse or
even worse.

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Activity

Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. What is the definition of agriculture? Justify.

2. Cite a value of agriculture that without it can create serious national

problem.

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LESSON 2:

BRIEF HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE

Agriculture was developed at least 10,000 years ago, and it has

undergone significant developments since the time of the earliest cultivation.

Ancient Origins
The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East was the site of the earliest
planned sowing and harvesting of plants that had previously been gathered in
the wild. Independent development of agriculture occurred in northern and
southern China, Africa's Sahel, New Guinea and several regions of the
Americas. Barley has been found in archeological sites in Levant, and East of
the Zagros Mountains in Iran.
The eight so-called Neolithic founder crops of agriculture includes
emmer wheat einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, chick
peas and flax. Bitter vetch and lentils along with almonds and pistachios appear
in Franchthi Cave Greece simultaneously, about 9,000 BC. Neither was native

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to Greece, and they appear 2,000 years prior to domesticated wheat in the same
location. This suggests that the cultivation of legumes and nuts preceded that of
grain in some Neolithic cultures.
By 7,000 BC, small-scale agriculture reached Egypt. From at least 7,000
BC the Indian subcontinent saw farming of wheat and barley, as attested by
archaeological excavation at Mehrgarh in Balochistan.
By 6,000 BC, mid-scale farming was entrenched on the banks of the
Nile. About this time, agriculture was developed independently in the Far East,
with rice, rather than wheat, as the primary crop. Chinese and Indonesian
farmers went on to domesticate taro and beans including mung, soy and azuki.
To complement these new sources of carbohydrates, highly organized net
fishing of rivers, lakes and ocean shores in these areas brought in great volumes
of essential protein. Collectively, these new methods of farming and fishing
inaugurated human population boom dwarfing all previous expansions, and it
continues today.
By 5,000 BC, the Sumerians had developed core agricultural techniques
including large scale intensive cultivation of land, mono-cropping, organized
irrigation, and use of a specialized labour force, particularly along the
waterway now known as the Shatt al-Arab, from its Persian Gulf delta to the
confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. Domestication of wild aurochs and
mouflon into cattle and sheep, respectively, ushered in the large-scale use of
animals for food/fiber and as beasts of burden. The shepherd joined the farmer
as an essential provider for sedentary and semi-nomadic societies. Maize,
manioc, and arrowroot were first domesticated in the Americas as far back as
5,200 BC.
The potato, tomato, pepper, squash, several varieties of bean, tobacco,
and several other plants were also developed in the New World, as was
extensive terracing of steep hillsides in much of Andean South America. The
Greeks and Romans built on techniques pioneered by the Sumerians but made
few fundamentally new advances. Southern Greeks struggled with very poor

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soils, yet managed to become a dominant society for years. The Romans were
noted for an emphasis on the cultivation of crops for trade.

Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, Muslim farmers in North Africa and the Near
East developed and disseminated agricultural technologies including irrigation
systems based on hydraulic and hydrostatic principles, the use of machines and
the use of water raising machines, dams, and reservoirs. They also wrote
location-specific farming manuals, and were instrumental in the wider adoption
of crops including sugar cane, rice, citrus fruit, apricots, cotton, artichokes,
aubergines, and saffron. Muslims also brought lemons, oranges, cotton,
almonds, figs and sub-tropical crops such as bananas to Spain. The invention of
a three field system of crop rotation during the Middle Ages, and the
importation of the Chinese-invented moldboard plow, vastly improved
agricultural efficiency. Another important development towards the end of this
period was the discovery and subsequent cultivation of fodder crops which
allowed over-wintering of livestock.

Modern Era
After 1492, a global exchange of previously local crops and livestock
breeds occurred. Key crops involved in this exchange included the tomato,
maize, potato, cocoa and tobacco going from the New World to the Old, and
several varieties of wheat, spices, coffee, and sugar cane going from the Old
World to the New. The most important animal exportations from the Old
World to the New were those of the horse and dog (dogs were already present
in the pre-Columbian Americas but not in the numbers and breeds suited to
farm work). Although not usually food animals, the horse (including donkeys
and ponies) and dog quickly filled essential production roles on western
hemisphere farms.
By the early 1800s, agricultural techniques, implements, seed stocks and
cultivated plants selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or

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useful characteristics had so improved that yield per land unit was many times
seen in the Middle Ages. With the rapid rise of mechanization in the late 19th
and 20th centuries, particularly in the form of the tractor, farming tasks could
be done with a speed and on a scale previously impossible. These advances
have led to efficiencies enabling certain modern farms in the United States,
Argentina, Israel, Germany, and a few other nations to output volumes of high
quality produce per land unit at what may be the practical limit.
The Haber-Bosch method for synthesizing ammonium nitrate
represented a major breakthrough and allowed crop yields to overcome
previous constraints. In the past century agriculture has been characterized by
enhanced productivity, the substitution of labor for synthetic fertilizers and
pesticides, selective breeding, mechanization, water pollution, and farm
subsidies. In recent years there has been a backlash against the external
environmental effects of conventional agriculture, resulting in the organic
movement.
Agricultural exploration expeditions, since the late nineteenth century,
have been mounted to find new species and new agricultural practices in
different areas of the world.

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Activity

Direction: Answer the following questions. Write your answer on one whole
piece of yellow pad paper.

1. Collect pictures of agricultural technologies from the ancient origins

until the contemporary times. What are the similarities and
differences of agricultural technologies comparing to each era?
2. Why is it important to know and understand the history of
agriculture?

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LESSON 3:

BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE

BRANCHES OF AGRICULTURE
There are four main branches of agriculture, namely;
1. Livestock Production or Animal Husbandry
2. Crop Production or Agronomy
3. Agricultural Economics
4. Agricultural Engineering

I. Livestock Production or Animal Husbandry

Animal Husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals
that are raised for meat, fiber, milk, eggs, or other products. The term
"livestock" encompasses many species and numerous breeds within animal
species which can produce food and other raw materials.
Livestock production or Animal Husbandry has 4 common classifications such
as:

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a.) Nomadic Pastoralism is the husbandry of grazing animals is viewed as an

ideal way of making a living and the regular movement of all or part of the
society is considered a normal and natural part of life. Pastoral nomadism is
commonly practice where climatic conditions produce seasonal pastures but
cannot support sustained stationary agriculture because of the animals’ food
limitations.

b.) Poultry Farming is the raising of birds domestically or commercially,

primarily for meat and eggs as well as for feathers. Chickens, turkeys, ducks,
and geese are of primary importance, while guinea fowl and squabs (young
pigeons) are chiefly of local interest.

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c.) Swine Farming is the raising and breeding of domestic pigs as livestock,
and is a branch of animal husbandry. Pigs are farmed principally for food (e.g.
pork, bacon, gammon) or sometimes skinned.

d.) Apiculture is the scientific method of rearing honeybees. The word

‘apiculture’ comes from the Latin word apis meaning bee and colere which
means “to culture”. Bees are mainly reared for their honey. So, apiculture or
also known as beekeeping is the care and management of honey bees for the
production of honey and the wax. In this method of apiculture, bees are bred
commercially in apiaries, an area where a lot of beehives can be placed.
Apiaries can be set up in areas where there are sufficient bee pastures – usually
areas that have flowering plants.

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II. Crop Production or Agronomy

It is the science dealing with the cultivation of crops and vegetables on a
field scales either under rain fed or irrigation conditions. These crops are
mainly annuals cultivated food. The requirements of each crop are studied in
terms of soil and climate, as well as planting time and techniques, different
cultivars, fertilization, weed, disease, and insect control, as well as the effect of
stress factors. Crop Production or Agronomy includes:

Horticulture is the science and art of growing and caring for plants,
especially flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The word is derived from the Latin
hortus which means “garden” and colere which means “to culture”. As a
general term, it covers all forms of garden management, but in ordinary use it
refers to intensive commercial production. Horticulture has 3 branches namely,
pomology, olericulture and floriculture.

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a) Pomology- is the branch of botany that studies all fruits, specifically the
science of growing fruits and nuts. The word is derived from the Latin
pomum which means “fruit” and logia which means “field of study”. As a
branch of horticulture, it focuses to the cultivation of fruits, nuts, fruit-
bearing and nut-bearing trees/plants for human use and consumption.

b) Olericulture is the science and art of vegetable growing, dealing with the
culture of non-woody (herbaceous) plants for food. The word is derived
from the Latin oleris which means “pot herb” and colere which means “to
culture”. As language develops over long period of time, it is simply
defined as the science and art of growing vegetables crops. It deals with the
production, storage processing and marketing of vegetables. It encompasses
crop establishment, including cultivar selection, seedbed preparation and
establishment of vegetable crops by seed and transplants. It also includes
maintenance and care of vegetable crop production.

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c) Floriculture refers to farming, plant care, propagation, and cultivation with

one goal in mind, the maximum production of flowering and ornamental
plants for gardens and floristry, comprising the floral industry. The word is
derived from the Latin floris which means “flower” and colere which
means “to culture”. Therefore, it is the cultivation of flower. To elaborate,
floriculture is an entire gardening spectrum that is geared towards
understanding and improving all aspects of bud and flower creation,
including indoor lighting, growroom requirements, greenhouse needs, plant
nutrition, irrigation, pest management, and breeding new cultivars/strains.

III. Agricultural Economics is study of the allocation, distribution and

utilization of the resources used, along with the commodities produced, by
farming. It concerns itself with the study of the production and consumption of
food in both developed and developing countries along with analysis of the
policies that shape the world’s largest country.

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IV. Agricultural Engineering is the area of engineering concerned with the

design, construction and improvement of farming equipment and machinery.
Agricultural engineers integrate technology with farming. For example, they
design new and improved farming equipment that may work more efficiently,
or perform new tasks. They design and build agricultural infrastructure such as
dams, water reservoirs, warehouses, and other structures. They may also help
engineer solutions for pollution control at large farms. Some agricultural
engineers are developing new forms of biofuels from non-food resources like
algae and agricultural waste. Such fuels could economically and sustainably
replace gasoline without jeopardizing the food supply.

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Activity

Direction: Answer the following questions. Write your answer on one whole
piece of yellow pad paper.

1. What are the four (4) branches of agriculture? Give its importance.
2. What are the four (4) branches of livestock production? Describe
each
3. Enumerate the different kinds of agronomy crops.
4. What are the three (3) branches of horticulture? Describe each
5. If you were given a capital to build or establish your own agricultural
business, in what branch of crop production do you prefer? Explain
and share it to the class.

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LESSON 4:

TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS

AND ITS CLASSIFICATIONS

Agricultural crops are plants that are grown or intentionally managed by

man for certain purposes. They are classified in various terms used worldwide.

Types of Crops
Crops are divided into six falls into categories and they’re as follows:
1. Food Crops
2. Feed Crops
3. Fiber Crops
4. Oil Crops
5. Ornamental Crops
6. Industrial Crops

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Descriptions of Crops According to their Categories

I. Food Crops – A plant that is primarily raise, culture and harvest for the
human consumption. It has two sub categories, the field crops and root
crops.

a) Field crop is a crop (other than fruits or vegetables) that is grown on a

large scale for agricultural purposes. Examples are wheat, rice, corn,
sugarcane and other forage crops. These crops typically consist of a
large majority of agricultural acreage and crop revenues.

b) Root Crops – are underground plant parts edible for human

consumption.

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II. Feed Crops – A plant that is primarily raise, culture and harvest for the
livestock consumption.

III. Fiber Crops – A plant that is primarily raise, culture and harvest for its
fibers which are used as raw material.

IV. Oil Crops – A plant that is primarily raise, culture and harvest as base
for biodiesel production.

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V. Ornamental Crops – A plant that is primarily raise and culture for

decorative purposes especially in gardens and landscape design projects.

VI. Industrial Crops – A plant that is cultured for their biological materials
which are used in industrial processes into nonedible products.
(Example: Tobacco)

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Classification of Crops According to their Reproduction

1. Sexual - plants that develop from a seed or a spore after undergoing

union of male and female gametes.

2. Asexual – plants which reproduce by any vegetative means without the

union of the sexual gametes.

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Classification of Crops According to Mode of Pollination

I. Naturally Self Pollinated Crops – predominant mode of pollination in

this plant is self-pollination.

II. Naturally Cross Pollinated Crops – pollen transfer in these plants is

from another of one flower in a separate plant.

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III. Both Self and Cross Pollination Crops – these plants are largely self-
pollinated but in varying amounts.
Classifications of Crops According to Growth Habits

I. Herb – succulent plants with self-supporting stems.

II. Vines – herbaceous climbing or twining plants without self-supporting

stem.

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III. Lianas – woody climbing or twining plants which depend on other

plants for vertical support to climb up to the tree.

IV. Shrubs – a small tree or tree like plants generally less than 5 meters in
height but other authorities restricted to small, erect woody plants.

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V. Trees – plants having erect and continuous growth with a large develop
of woody tissue, with a single distinct stem or trunk.

VI. Evergreen – plants that maintain their leaves throughout the year.

VII. Deciduous – plants which naturally shed off or lose leaves annually for
extended periods.

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Descriptions of Crops According to their Life Span

I. Annual crop is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to
production of seed, within one growing season, and then dies. Annual
crops examples are rice, corn and others.

II. Biennial crop is a plant that takes two years to complete its biological
lifecycle. Its examples are cabbage, parsley and others.

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III. Perennial crop is a plant that lives more than two years. The term is
often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and
biennials. The term is also widely used to distinguish plants with little or
no woody growth from trees and shrubs, which are also technically
perennials.

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Activity

Direction: Using the table below, identify the different crops in your locality
according to their categories, classifications and description.

Classification Classification Classification Description

According to According to According to According
Crops Categories
their Mode of their Growth to their Life
Reproduction Pollination Habit Span

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LESSON 5:

TYPES OF COMMERCIAL FOOD CROPS

IN THE PHILIPPINES

Food Crop
A crop primarily raised and culture for human consumption. There are 5
major categories of common commercial crops in the Philippines they are the
following: cereal crops, root and tuber crops, sugar crops, vegetable crops, fruit
crops.

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a) Cereal Crops – are one of the members of grass family with their seed
to eat.

b) Root and Tuber Crops – a crop that is root vegetables and thick
underground part of the stem which is edible to consume by human.

c) Sugar Crops – several species of tall perennial grass that are grown for
extraction of sugar product.

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d) Vegetable Crops – are edible part/s of the plant.

e) Fruit Crops – are groups of different types of fruits that are edible to
consume by human.

Common Commercial Food Crops in the Philippines

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME ENGLISH NAME

Palay Oryza sativa Linn Rice
Mais Zea mays L. Corn/Maize
Niyog Cocos nucifera L. Coconut
Tubo Saccharum officinarum L. Sugarcane
Saging Musa sapientum var. Banana
Pinya Ananas comosus L. Pineapple
Kape Coffea sp. Coffee
Mangga Mangofera indica Mango
Tabako Nicotiana tabacum Tobacco
Mani Archis hypogaea Linn. Peanut
Munggo Vigna radiata L. Mungbean
Kamoteng Kahoy Manihot esculenta Crantz. Cassava
Kamote Ipomoea batatas Lam Sweet Potato
Kamatis Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Tomato

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Bawang Allium sativum Linn. Garlic

Sibuyas Allium cepa Linn. Onion bulb
Repolyo Brassica oleracea L. Cabbage
Talong Solanum melongena Linn. Eggplant
Kalamansi Citrus madurensis Lour. Calamansi

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Activity

Directions: Search from the internet and identify the different common
commercial food crops in the Philippines that were given from the lesson. After
that, draw at least five (5) different common commercial food crops. In each
drawing, write their classifications, local, common and scientific names. The
output will be assessed and graded based from the given rubrics below.

RUBRICS FOR DRAWING

CATEGORY 5 4 3 2
Neatness and Exceptionally Neat and Lines are neatly Appears
Attractiveness well designed, relatively drawn but the messy and
neat and attractive. drawing appears “thrown
attractiveness. quite plain. together” in
a hurry.
Accuracy of All drawings Most Some drawings Few
Drawings are done drawings are done correctly drawings
correctly and are done and are easy to are done
are easy to see. correctly see. correctly
and are easy and are easy
to see. to see.
Labeling of Each drawing Most Some drawings Few
Names has a clear, neat drawings have a clear, neat drawings
label that have a clear, label that have a clear,
describes it. neat label describes it. neat label
that that
describes it. describes it.

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LESSON 6:

PLANT PARTS AND ITS FUNCTION

A plant has different parts. The main parts are the roots, stem and the
leaves. Each part has a vital role in the life of a plant. The root absorbs water
and different nutrients in the ground. The roots also establish the plant as
foundation. The stem carries the water and different nutrients from the ground
to the leaves. It also supports the foundation.

The Roots

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The main functions of the root system are absorption of water and
minerals from the soil, providing a proper anchorage to the plant parts, storing
reserve food material and synthesis of plant growth regulators.

In majority of the dicotyledonous plants, the direct elongation of

the radicle leads to the formation of primary root which grows inside the soil.
It bears lateral roots of several orders that are referred to as secondary, tertiary,
and so on. The primary roots and its branches constitute the tap root system.

In monocotyledonous plants, the primary root is short lived and is

replaced by a large number of roots. These roots originate from the base of the
stem and constitute the fibrous root system.

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In some plants, roots arise from parts of the plant other than the radicle
and are called adventitious roots.

The root is covered at the apex by a thimble-like structure called

the root cap. It protects the tender apex of the root as it makes its way through
the soil.
Tap roots of carrot, turnip and adventitious roots of sweet potato, get
swollen and store food.

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Hanging structures that support a banyan tree are called prop roots.

Similarly, the stems of maize and sugarcane have supporting roots

coming out of the lower nodes of the stem. These are called stilt roots.

In some plants such as Rhizophora growing in swampy areas, many

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roots come out of the ground and grow vertically upwards. Such roots,
called pneumatophores, help to get oxygen for respiration.

The Stem

The stem of a plant is one of two structural parts of a vascular plant (a plant
that has tissues for moving water and nutrients), the other being the root. The
stem is the part above ground which provides support for leaves and buds. It's
like the major highway of a plant, and it's vital for plant life.

The region of the stem where leaves are born are called nodes while
internodes are the portions between two nodes. Some stems perform the
function of storage of food, support, protection and of vegetative propagation.

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Underground stems of potato, ginger, turmeric, zaminkand,

colocasia are modified to store food in them.

Stem tendrils which develop from axillary buds, are slender and
spirally coiled and help plants to climb such as in gourds (cucumber, pumpkins,
watermelon) and grapevines.

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Axillary buds of stems may also get modified into woody, straight
and pointed thorns. They protect plants from browsing animals.

Some plants of arid regions modify their stems into flattened (Opuntia),
or fleshy cylindrical (Euphorbia) structures. They contain chlorophyll and carry
out photosynthesis.

Underground stems of some plants such as grass and strawberry, etc.,

spread to new niches and when older parts die new plants are formed

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The Leaf
Leaf is a flattened structure of a higher plant, typically green and blade-
like, that is attached to a stem directly or via a stalk. Leaves are the main
organs of photosynthesis and transpiration.

Leaves originate from shoot apical meristems. Leaf develops at the

node and bears a bud in its axil. The axillary bud later develops into a branch.

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A typical leaf consists of three main parts: leaf base,

petiole and lamina. The petiole help hold the blade to light. Long thin flexible
petioles allow leaf blades to flutter in wind, thereby cooling the leaf and
bringing fresh air to leaf surface. The lamina or the leaf blade is the green
expanded part of the leaf with veins and veinlets. There is, usually, a middle
prominent vein, which is known as the midrib. Veins provide rigidity to the
leaf blade and act as channels of transport for water, minerals and food
materials.

Leaf Venation
The arrangement of veins and the veinlets in the lamina of leaf is termed
as venation. When the veinlets form a network, the venation is termed
as reticulate. When the veins run parallel to each other within a lamina, the
venation is termed as parallel. Leaves of dicotyledonous plants generally

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possess reticulate venation, while parallel venation is the characteristic of

most monocotyledons.

Modifications of Leaves
Leaves of certain insectivorous plants such as pitcher plant, venus-fly
trap are also modified leaves for their food.

Transpiration
Plants absorb mineral nutrients and water from the soil. Not all the water
absorbed is utilised by the plant. The water evaporates through the stomata
present on the surface of the leaves by the process of transpiration. The
evaporation of water from leaves generates a suction pull (the same that you
produce when you suck water through a straw) which can pull water to great
heights in the tall trees. Transpiration also cools the plant.

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Water absorption through roots can be increased by keeping the plants

a. in the shade
b. in dim light
c. under the fan
d. covered with a polythene bag
When we place a plant under the fan the speed of air flow is very high.
Transpiration will take place in presence of high air flow through the stomata.
Rate of transpiration increases during windy condition. Increase in the rate of
transpiration increases the water absorption also because when transpiration
occurs, it will create a transpiration pull and more water absorption will take
place.

Do Plants Also Respire?

In plants each part can independently take in oxygen from the air and
give out carbon dioxide. Even roots can respire. Can you guess what would
happen if a potted plant is overwatered? Plants carry out photosynthesis only
during the day and respiration both during the day time as well as night.
Did you know? For us oxygen is essential, but for those organisms which do
not use it, oxygen is toxic. In fact, our white blood cells use oxygen to kill
invading bacteria. Even for humans, it may be dangerous to breathe pure
oxygen for long.

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The Flower
The flower is the reproductive unit in the angiosperms. It is meant for
sexual reproduction. Androecium and gynoecium are reproductive organs.
When a flower has both androecium and gynoecium, it is bisexual. A flower
having either only stamens or only carpels is unisexual. Aestivation: The
mode of arrangement of sepals or petals in floral bud with respect to the other
members of the same whorl is known as aestivation.

Parts of a Flower

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Androecium
Androecium is composed of stamens. Each stamen which represents the
male reproductive organ consists of a stalk or a filament and an anther. Each
anther is usually bilobed and each lobe has two chambers, the pollen-sacs. The
pollen grains are produced in pollen-sacs. A sterile stamen is called staminode.

Gynoecium
Gynoecium is the female reproductive part of the flower and is made up
of one or more carpels. A carpel consists of three parts namely stigma, style
and ovary. After fertilization, the ovules develop into seeds and the ovary
matures into a fruit. Placentation: The arrangement of ovules within the ovary
is known as placentation.

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The Fruit
The fruit is a characteristic feature of the flowering plants. It is a mature
or ripened ovary, developed after fertilisation. If a fruit is formed without
fertilisation of the ovary, it is called a parthenocarpic fruit. The ovules after
fertilization, develop into seeds.

Transport Of Water And Minerals In Plants

Plants absorb water and minerals by the roots. The roots have root hair.
The root hair increase the surface area of the root for the absorption of water
and mineral nutrients dissolved in water. The root hair is in contact with the
water present between the soil particles.
Plants have pipe-like vessels to transport water and nutrients from the
soil. The vessels are made of special cells, forming the vascular tissue. The
vascular tissue for the transport of water and nutrients in the plant is called

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the xylem. The xylem forms a continuous network of channels that connects
roots to the leaves through the stem and branches and thus transport water to
the entire plant leaves synthesise food. The food has to be transported to all
parts of the plant. This is done by the vascular tissue called the phloem. Thus,
xylem and phloem transport substances in plants.

LEARNING MODULE IN AGRI-FISHERY ARTS