1

Nutrition in Plants
NCF Competencies Covered: C-3.1,
Expected Learning Outcomes C-3.2, C-3.3, C-5.1, C-6.1 and C-7.2

Knowledge to be gained: •Nutrition •Modes of nutrition •Photosynthesis •Heterotrophic modes

of nutrition in plants
Skill to be developed: •Testing for the presence of starch in a leaf.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Importance of plants and the need to take care of them.
In Class VI, we learnt the differences between or plant to obtain energy for growth and
living and non-living organism. You would development is known as nutrition.
remember that all living organisms require Plants make their food themselves, but animals
food. cannot. Animals (including humans) obtain
Just like a car requires fuel to operate, our body food from plants or other animals that eat
also requires food to: plants.
u grow MODES OF NUTRITION
u repair damaged parts of our body and e methods of obtaining food are called modes
u derive energy to perform life processes. of nutrition.
Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and ere are mainly two modes of nutrition:
minerals are the components of food necessary u Autotrophic u Heterotrophic
for our body. ese are called nutrients .
Autotrophic Mode of Nutrition
Different nutrients serve different purposes.
e term autotroph is made up of ‘auto’
e process of utilisation of food by an animal
meaning ‘self ’ and ‘troph’ meaning ‘feeding’.

Nutrition in Plants 9
Organisms which can make food themselves PHOTOSYNTHESIS: FOOD-MAKING
from simple substances by the process of PROCESS IN PLANTS NCF C-3.3
photosynthesis are called autotrophs, and Green plants synthesise their own food by the
their mode of nutrition is called autotrophic process of photosynthesis. Food is mostly
nutrition. synthesised in the leaves of a plant. For this
Green plants take carbon dioxide and water reason, leaves are called the food factories of a
from the environment and combine them to plant. However, other parts of a plant also play a
make glucose (food) and oxygen with the help role in its nutrition.
of the Sun’s energy, trapped by a green pigment e word photosynthesis is derived from two
present in their leaves, called chlorophyll. words; ‘photo’ meaning ‘light’ and ‘synthesis’
ese green plants produce food not only for meaning ‘to combine’.
themselves, but also for non-green plants as well Photosynthesis takes place in leaves in the
as for animals (including human beings). following steps:
u ere are tiny pores present mostly on the
Sun
underside of leaves. ese are called stomata
(singular: stoma). Leaves absorb carbon
dioxide from the air through stomata.
Carbon dioxide Open stomata

Carbon dioxide + Water Sunlight Glucose + Oxygen

Chlorophyll (food)
Fig.1 Photosynthesis Oxygen

Heterotrophic Mode of Nutrition

Organisms which cannot make food by
Closed stomata
themselves and derive nutrition from green
plants or animals are called heterotrophs and Fig.2 Open and closed stomata
their mode of nutrition is called heterotrophic u e roots absorb water and minerals from
nutrition. the soil.
All non-green plants and animals are u e water and minerals absorbed by the roots
heterotrophs because they cannot make their get transported to the leaves through the
own food. Heterotrophic plants and animals stem.
depend on food produced by some other living u Chlorophyll is the green pigment present in
organisms, such as green plants or other plant- the green parts of a plant. Chlorophyll
consuming animals. us, all animals like cats, captures energ y from Sunlight and
dogs, goats, cows, buffaloes, deer, lions and supplies it to the leaves to carry out
human beings are heterotrophs. photosynthesis.
10 Exploring Science-7
 Oxygen

form of carbohydrate. For long-term storage,

the glucose (simple carbohydrate) is
Carbon dioxide Glucose
(Stored food) converted into a complex carbohydrate
called starch. is starch gets stored in
various parts of the plant, including leaves.
Plants use glucose to obtain energy, through
Water
the process of respiration.
Fig.3 Photosynthesis is whole process of collection of simple
u During photosynthesis, light energy is substances such as water and minerals from
converted into chemical energy. e plants the soil and carbon dioxide from the air, and
absorb energy from the Sun and use it to
utilising Sunlight as a source of energy and
convert carbon dioxide and water into
converting these simple substances into
glucose and oxygen. Glucose gets stored in
glucose (food) is known as photosynthesis.
the plant as food. is glucose is a simple

e following equation summarises photosynthesis:

Sunlight
Carbon dioxide + Water Glucose + Oxygen
(from soil) Chlorophyll (a carbohydrate) (goes into air)
(from air)

e by-products of photosynthesis are oxygen are reduced to spines and the stems
and water, which are released through the contain most of the chlorophyll. Hence,
stomata during the daytime. e food is sent to photosynthesis is done by all the green parts
the other parts of the plant like stems, roots, of the plants.
branches, etc. u In swamps or in stagnant water, we can see
Without photosynthesis, life would be the growth of green patches which is caused
impossible on Earth. We cannot imagine the due to the growth of living organisms
survival of any living organism in the absence of known as algae. Due to the presence of
plants, as they provide us not only food but also
chlorophyll, algae can produce their own
oxygen, which is essential for respiration.
food by the process of photosynthesis.
u During photosynthesis, plants produce food
u Leaves of many plants that are non-green in
in the form of glucose. Glucose is further
colour have other pigments in addition to
converted into complex compounds such as
chlorophyll. e large amount of red, brown
starch and cellulose.
and other pigments mask the green colour.
u Photosynthesis also takes place in other
Photosynthesis takes place in these leaves
green parts of plants, such as stems,
also.
branches or scales. In desert plants, leaves

Nutrition in Plants 11
 6. Remove the excess iodine solution and
observe the change in the colour of the leaf.
Test tube with ethanol

Water
bath

Fig.4 Photosynthesis is done by all green parts of a plant

Conditions Necessary for Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis takes place only when there is:
u presence of sunlight Leaf in boiling water Leaf in boiling ethanol
u presence of chlorophyll
u presence of carbon dioxide
u availability of water.

Activity-1 Iodine

Aim: To test the presence of starch in a leaf.

Starch test with
Leaf in cold water iodine solution
Materials required: Green leaf, test tube,
ethanol, water, water bath, heating lamp, Fig.5 Test for presence of starch
iodine solution and a petri dish.
Method: Observation: Some parts of the leaf change
to blue-black colour due to the presence of
1. Pluck a green leaf from a plant kept in
starch. Parts of the leaf which do not contain
sunlight.
any starch do not turn blue-black.
2. Boil the leaf in water for a few minutes to
soen it. Place the leaf in a test tube half- C onclusion: e presence of starch
lled with ethanol. con rms that photosynthesis has taken
3. Let the test tube stand in a water bath place.
lled with water and warm the water till
the ethanol begins to boil. e ethanol Green Plant
Knowledge Booster
will dissolve the chlorophyll and
decolourise the leaf. • In 1893, Charles Reid Barner coined the term
‘Photosynthesis’.
(Caution: Do not boil the ethanol directly
on ame.) • Scien sts have been able to grow plants
without soil. Instead of soil, they grow plants
4. Now, wash the leaf well with cold water to in a water solu on of minerals and nutrients.
remove the ethanol. This branch of science dealing with the
5. Place the leaf in a petri dish and add a few cul va on of plants in a water solu on is
drops of iodine solution. called ‘Hydroponics’.
12 Exploring Science-7
 Activity-2
Aim: To show that sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis.
Materials required: A potted plant, beaker, burner, alcohol, iodine solution, and a dropper.
Method:
1. Take a healthy potted plant and keep it in a dark room for 2-3 days to de-starch the leaves. e
plant uses all the food (starch) it has stored to survive in a dark room, where it cannot make its
own food.
2. Cover one of its leaves partly with a strip of black paper and keep the plant in sunlight for a few
hours.
3. Pluck this covered leaf, remove the black strip and use iodine to test it for the presence of
starch.
4. Testing for the presence of starch:
(i) Remove the green-coloured chlorophyll from the leaf by boiling it rst in water and
then in alcohol (ethanol). In this way, we get a decolourised leaf.
(ii) Wash the leaf with water again.
(iii) Add a few drops of iodine over the colourless leaf.

Black paper strip Area of leaf unaffected

by iodine

Starch test

Area of leaf affected

by iodine

Fig.6 e presence of starch changes the colour of iodine to blue-black

Observation: We observe that the part of the leaf covered with black paper does not turn blue-
black, while other parts turn blue-black.
Conclusion: e covered part of the leaf could not get sunlight, hence, no starch is formed in this
part. is shows that sunlight is needed for making starch, i.e., sunlight is necessary for
photosynthesis.

Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. Plants make their food themselves. ______________
2. All non-green plants and animals are heterotrophs. ______________
3. e roots absorb water and minerals from the air. ______________
4. Plants produce food in the form of glucose. ______________
5. Plants take in water through stomata. ______________

Nutrition in Plants 13
HETEROTROPHIC MODE OF
NUTRITION IN PLANTS
Most plants have green pigments, called
chlorophyll, and can make their own food. But
Cuscuta plant
some plants which do not have chlorophyll, (A parasite)
cannot synthesise their own food. Such non-
green plants depend on the food produced by
other plants. ey are known as heterotrophic
plants and the mode of nutrition they use is
Host plant
called heterotrophic nutrition.
Depending on their mode of nutrition, all the
Fig.7 Cuscuta plant climbing
heterotrophic plants are divided into the on the stem of a host plant
following groups:
For example: Cuscuta (dodder or amarbel) is a
u Parasites, total parasite. It gets its complete food from the
u Saprophytes, host. e parasitic plant climbs on the host
plants from which it gets all the food.
u Symbiotic plants and
A parasitic plant produces a special type of
u Insectivorous plants. root (called sucking roots) which penetrate
Parasitic Nutrition into the host plant. e parasite sucks the
food materials from the host through these
Parasites are the living organisms that obtain
special roots.
food from other plants and animals on which
they live. An organism from which the parasite Some heterotrophic plants, such as Mistletoe
(Loranthus) and Viscum, grow on mango,
obtains food is called a host.
mahua and g trees and bear green leaves. ey
A plant or an animal that attaches itself on or
synthesise their own food, but depend for water
inside another organism (called host) and and minerals on the host plant. ey are called
draws its food from it , is called a parasite. partial parasites.
A parasitic plant is not bene cial to the host Saprotrophic/Saprophytic Nutrition
plant, as the parasitic plant survives on the
e non-green plants which obtain their food
nutrients consumed by the host plant. e
(nutrition) from dead and decaying organic
parasitic plant partially or completely draws its
matter are called saprophytes. e mode
requirement of nutrients from the host plant.
of nutrition in which these organisms
Parasites become a burden on the host and
(saprotrophs) obtain their food from dead and
sometimes, the host plant even dies due to the decaying organic matter of plants and animals
lack of nutrition. are called saprotrophic nutrition.
14 Exploring Science-7
For example, fungi (like moulds, mushrooms, Symbiosis (Mutualism)
and yeast) and many other kinds of bacteria ere are some organisms that live together
are saprophytes. Certain bacteria are also and share shelter and nutrients with
saprophytes. ey are called saprophytic each other. is is known as symbiotic
bacteria. relationship.
When dead and decaying plants and animals Symbiotic relationship may be de ned as the
remain under warm and humid conditions habitual living together (interdependence) of
for some time, they attract saprophytes organisms belonging to different species, for
(saprotrophs). e saprophytes are generally mutual bene t.
fungi or bacteria. ese saprophytes secrete Symbiosis is different from parasitic nutrition.
digestive juices on the dead and decaying matter Symbiosis is the interaction between two
and absorb the nutrients from them. organisms in such a way that it is bene cial for
Dead and decaying matter also provide a both the organisms. In symbiosis, neither
breeding ground for such saprophytes, like organism is a host or parasite. It is a relationship
mushrooms and other fungi and bacteria. in which both the organisms get bene t from each
other. Symbiosis is a mode of heterotrophic
Activity-3 nutrition. It is an interaction or inter-
Aim: To study the growth of fungi. relationship between two organisms for mutual
Materials required: A piece of bread, water bene t or dependence. Lichen is an example of
and a box with a lid. symbiotic nutrition. It is an association between
Procedure: Moisten the bread with water algae and fungi. Algae are autotrophic and can
and keep it in a closed box in a warm place for manufacture food for fungi, while fungi provide
a few days. shelter, water and minerals to algae. Another
Observation: You will see whitish-green and example of a symbiotic relationship exists
brown patches on the bread. Observe these between leguminous plants and the nitrogen-
under a powerful magnifying glass or a
xing bacteria. e rhizobium bacteria in this
microscope in school. Draw the structure of
relationship converts the atmospheric nitrogen
what you see.
present in the surrounding environment into
Conclusion: e patches are formed due to
the growth of fungus. soluble compounds of nitrogen to ful l the basic
requirement of leguminous plants.
Spores of fungi

Fig.8 Fungi on a bread piece

Fig.9 Lichen
Nutrition in Plants 15
is consumable form of nitrogen is used by Sundew, Venus y-trap and Bladder wort.
plants. In turn, the rhizobium bacteria get their A pitcher plant uses a pitcher-like organ to trap
food from these leguminous plants. Beans, insects and digest them.
peas, and lentils are examples of leguminous
In pitcher plants, the lamina (blade) of the leaf is
plants. Rhizobium bacteria could be found in
modi ed into a hollow tube called a pitcher
the nodules of their roots. is saves the farmers
(Fig. 10). e top part of the leaf (called leaf
from using fertilisers or any other process to
apex) forms a lid which can open or close the
provide fertility to the soil.
mouth of the pitcher. ere are hair inside the
Insectivorous Nutrition pitcher which are directed downwards. When
ere are some green plants which obtain their an insect falls into the pitcher, the lid closes
food partially from the soil and atmosphere and automatically. e trapped insect gets
partially from small insects. entangled in the hair of the pitcher and cannot
ose green plants which supplement their come out. Aer some time, the insect dies in the
nutrients by trapping and digesting animals, pitcher. e walls of the pitcher secrete digestive
juices which digest the proteins present in the
particularly insects, are called insectivores or
body of the insect to form simpler nitrogenous
insectivorous plants.
compounds. ese simpler nitrogenous
e insectivorous plants have specialised leaves
compounds are absorbed by the walls of the
to catch the insects. Even though all of them pitcher and used by the pitcher plant.
are green and can perform photosynthesis,
they rely partially on insects and small Knowledge Booster
animals for their supply of nitrogenous
• Insec vorous plants are also known as
compounds. ese insectivores trap insects by carnivorous plants.
various methods, kill them and digest them to • About 590 plant species are carnivorous or
obtain nitrogenous compounds (such as amino insec vorous.
acids) for their growth. Some common • At least 3000 plant species have
heterotrophic nutri on.
examples of insectivores are—Pitcher plant,

Leaf
Lid (Apex)

Slippery zone
Tendril

Lamina
Fig.10 Pitcher plant

16 Exploring Science-7
Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. e plants have green pigments called ___________.
2. e parasitic plants climb on the ___________ plants from which they get all the food.
3. ___________ is an example of symbiotic nutrition.
4. ere are ___________ inside the pitcher plants.

Keywords
Autotrophs : Organisms that can make their own food from simple non-living substances.
Heterotrophs : Organisms that cannot make their own food, i.e., they directly or indirectly
depend on green plants.
Stomata : Tiny pores present on the surface of leaves.
Chlorophyll : Green pigment that is present in the green parts of a plant (on stem and leaves).
Parasites : Organisms that live on or inside another organism (host) and exploit them for
food and shelter.
Saprotrophs : Organisms that obtain their food from dead and decaying organic matter.
Symbiosis : Organisms that live together and share shelter and nutrients.

Points to Remember
u e process of utilisation of food by an animal to obtain energy for growth and development is
known as nutrition.
u Nutrition is of two types—Autotrophic and Heterotrophic.
u Most green plants are autotrophs, i.e., they make their own food.
u Green plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis.
u Leaves are the food factories of a plant since the process of photosynthesis takes place in
leaves.
u Plants produce food in the form of glucose and store it in the form of starch.
u Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot make their own food and depend on autotrophic
plants for their food requirement.
u Parasitic plants grow sucking roots that penetrate into the host plants and suck the food
materials.
u Non-green plants that obtain their food from decaying organic matter are called saprophytes.
u Organisms that live together and share shelter and nutrients, are said to be in a symbiotic
relationship.
u Green plants that supplement their nutrition by trapping insects and consuming them are
called insectivorous plants.

Nutrition in Plants 17
 Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. Which part of the plant takes in carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis?
(a) Root (b) Stomata
(c) Fruits (d) Sepals
2. Cuscuta (Amarbel) is an example of ________________.
(a) an autotroph (b) a parasite
(c) a saprotroph (d) a host
3. e plant that traps and feeds on insects is ________________.
(a) cuscuta plant (b) china rose
(c) pitcher plant (d) lotus
4. e process of photosynthesis converts light energy into ________________.
(a) kinetic energy (b) chemical energy
(c) potential energy (d) nuclear energy
5. Which of the following pairs shows symbiosis?
(a) Alage and fungus (b) Algae and sh
(c) Rhizobium and pea (d) Rhizobium and money plant
B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. ________________ make their food themselves.
2. Insect-eating plants are called ________________.
3. Plants that eat decaying organic matter are called ________________.
4. e ________________ sucks the food material from the host through sucking roots.
5. Symbiosis is ________________ mode of nutrition.
C. Very-Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Why do we require food?
2. Name the different modes of nutrition.
3. Which gas is released as a by-product during photosynthesis?
4. Where does the synthesis of food in a plant usually take place?
5. Name the green pigment present in the leaves of a plant.
6. Algae can produce their own food. True or False?
18 Exploring Science-7
 7. De ne nutrition.
8. Mistletoe is a total parasitic plant. True or False?
9. A parasitic relationship between a parasite and its host is bene cial to both. True or False?
10. Fungi like moulds, mushrooms and yeasts are saprophytes. True or False?
11. Lichen is an example of a symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi. True or False?
12. Plants are not carnivorous. True or False?
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What are autotrophs? Give examples.
2. What are heterotrophs? Give examples.
3. Write down the equation of photosynthesis. What conditions are necessary for
photosynthesis to occur?
4. How do cactus plants carry out photosynthesis, without leaves?
5. Differentiate between partial and total parasites.
6. How is symbiotic nutrition different from parasitic nutrition?
7. What are insectivorous plants? Why do they rely on insects for their nutrition?
8. Give an example of each:
(a) Parasitic plants. (b) Saprophyte.
(c) Symbiotic plants. (d) Insectivorous plants.
E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. What is photosynthesis? What are the nal products made aer photosynthesis? Explain
how photosynthesis takes place, with the help of a labeled diagram.
2. Explain with example, how do parasitic plants draw nutrition from their hosts?
3. What is saprotrophic nutrition? Explain how saprophytes get their nutrition.
4. What is a symbiotic relationship? Explain with the example of rhizobium bacteria and
leguminous plants.
5. Explain how a pitcher plant traps and digests an insect.

HOTS Critical Thinking

Sarthak was eating bread. Suddenly, he saw some green-coloured patches on it. His sister
Lakshmi stopped him and told him that these green patches can be poisonous.
1. What are the green-coloured patches on the bread called? What kind of nutrition do they
exhibit?
2. What values are shown by Lakshmi?

Nutrition in Plants 19
 Activity Zone NCF C-5.1, C-6.1, C-7.2
Collaboration
Project Work Flexibility & Adaptations

A. Work in pairs to research how hydroponic systems work.

Now, let’s try to build a miniature model of it. Fill a clear cup with water and place a sponge or
cotton on top to hold 2-3 seeds, such as green gram or beans.
Over the next few weeks, observe your seeds daily, measure their growth, and record any
changes in your notebook. Adjust the settings based on your observations.
Finally, re ect on how hydroponics differs from traditional gardening, and create a report on
the impact that hydroponics can have on human lives.

Memory Map

NUTRITION
IN PLANTS

Autotrophic mode of nutrition Heterotrophic mode of nutrition

by
types
Photosynthesis
requires

Sunlight Chlorophyll Carbon dioxide Water Parasites Saprophytes Symbiotic Insectivorous

plants plants

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources on
this chapter:
https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-3-science/b-3-exploring-science-7/c-27/nutrition-in-plants.html

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