DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL – BOPAL, AHMEDABAD (2021-22)

Class: VII Subject: Science

CHAPTER 1 NUTRITION IN PLANTS

Study Notes

Living and Non-Living Organisms:

 Living organisms like human beings, plants and animals need food to survive and exist.
 Living organisms reproduce, respond to the environment and also adapt.
 Living organisms respire and excrete as well.
 Plants are capable of making their food themselves but humans and animals cannot.
 Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are essential components of food, these
components are called nutrients.

Fig: Nutrient needs of organisms

1.1 MODE OF NUTRITION IN PLANTS
 Nutrition is the mode of taking food by an organism and its utilization by the body.
 Nutrition is very important as the nutrients from the food consumed enables living organisms to
build their bodies and grow.
 Nutrition helps to repair damaged parts and organs.
 Nutrition also provides energy for carrying out various functions.

Fig: Modes of Nutrition

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Autotrophs and Heterotrophs:
 Organisms that make food themselves are called autotrophs.
 Plants are an example of autotrophs as they make their own food using carbon dioxide, water and
light energy.
 Organisms that rely on others and usually take in ready-made food made by the autotrophs are
called heterotrophs.
 Animals and human beings are an example of heterotrophs as they depend on plants in many ways
for their food.
1.2 PHOTOSYNTHESIS- FOOD MAKING PROCESS IN PLANTS
 Photosynthesis is the process of synthesis of food by green plants.
 This process usually takes place in the leaves of plants.
 The process requires chlorophyll (green coloured pigment), sunlight, carbon dioxide and water.

Fig: Schematic diagram showing photosynthesis

 The process of photosynthesis takes place in the green leaves of a plant.

 The food is prepared by the green leaves of a plant in the form of a simple sugar called glucose.
 The extra glucose is changed into another food called starch. This starch is stored in the leaves of
the plant.
 The green plants convert sunlight energy into chemical energy by making carbohydrates.

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Conditions necessary for photosynthesis:
The conditions necessary for photosynthesis to take place are:
 Sunlight
 Chlorophyll
 Carbon dioxide
 Water
Raw materials for photosynthesis:
The raw materials for photosynthesis are:
 Carbon dioxide
 Water
How the plants obtain carbon dioxide?

Fig: Leaf and various parts

 There are a large number of tiny pores called stomata on the surface of the leaves of plants.
 The carbon dioxide gas enters the leaves of the plant through the stomata present on their surface.
 Each stomatal pore is surrounded by a pair of guard cells. The opening and closing of stomatal
pores is controlled by the guard cells.

Fig: Photosynthesis Reaction

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How the plants obtain water for photosynthesis:
The water required by the plants for photosynthesis is absorbed by the root of the plants from the soil
through the process of osmosis.
The water absorbed by the roots of the plants is transported upward through the xylem vessels to the
leaves where it reaches the photosynthetic cells.
 The plants also need other raw materials such as nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and magnesium, etc.,
for building their body.
 The plants take these materials from the soil.
 Nitrogen is essential element used by the plants to make proteins and other compound.
Site of photosynthesis: Chloroplasts
 Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of the plants.
 Leaves have green pigment called chlorophyll
 It helps leaves capture the energy of the sunlight which is then used to prepare food from carbon di
oxide and water.
 Here, you see that solar energy is captured by the leaves and is stored in the plant in the form of
food.
 So, we can say that Sun is ultimate source of energy for all living organisms.
Other Notes on photosynthesis:
 Photosynthesis in plants can also takes place in other green parts like green stems, green branches.
 Glucose (simple carbohydrates) is the simplest food synthesized by plants. This glucose made by
plants is converted into complex carbohydrates which are known as starch.
 These simple carbohydrates are used to synthesise other components of food such as proteins and
fats.
 Proteins are nitrogenous substances. Plants prepare proteins with the help of nitrogen which is
obtained from the soil.
 Plants use the minerals dissolved in water to convert Glucose (simple carbohydrates) into
carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
 Photosynthesis is important because
1. It provides food to animals including human beings.
2. It puts oxygen gas into the air which is essential for breathing and respiration in animals
including human beings.
Cell Organelles:
 Organelles are tiny cellular structures inside a cell and perform specific functions that are important
for the cell.
 They are found in the cytoplasm of a cell.
 E.g. Chloroplast is the cell organelle that carries out photosynthesis.

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Chloroplasts:
 The chloroplast is a type of organelle that exists in plants.
 These organelles contain chlorophyll, the green coloured pigment that is responsible for carrying out
the process of photosynthesis in plants.
Chlorophyll:
 Chlorophyll is the pigment that is responsible for the synthesis of food in green plants.
 This pigment green colour to its bearers and is abundantly found in leaves.
 Chlorophyll is locked inside the chloroplast.
1.3 OTHER MODES OF NUTRITION IN PLANTS
 Most of the plants have green pigment called chlorophyll and can make their own food.
 Some plants do not have chlorophyll and cannot synthesize their own food and are known as
Heterotrophic plants.
 This type of nutrition can be categorized into
1. Parasitic mode of nutrition
2. Insectivorous mode
3. Saprophytic mode of nutrition
4. Symbiotic mode of nutrition
Parasites:
 In parasitic mode of nutrition, plants depend on other plants or animals for their nourishment.
 Such dependent plants are called as parasites and the ones on which parasites depend are called
as hosts.
 A parasite plant climbs on the host plant from which they get all the food.
 The host does not get any benefit from the parasite.
 Some examples of parasites are Cuscutta, hookworms, tapeworms, leeches, etc.

Fig: Cuscutta (Amarbel) on host plant

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Insectivorous Plants:
 The insectivorous mode of nutrition is observed in plants like pitcher plant and the Venus fly trap.
 These types of plants purely depend on other insects and small animals for their nutrition.
 Pitcher plants trap small insects inside the pitcher and insects are digested by the digestive juices
secreted in the pitcher.
 Insectivorous plants grow in those soils which do not contain sufficient nitrogen mineral.
 These types of plants are green and carry out photosynthesis to obtain a part of food.

Fig: Pitcher Plant and Venus flytrap

1.4 SAPROTROPHS
 Mode of nutrition in which organisms or plants that obtain their nutrition from dead and decaying
organic matter is called Saprophytic mode
 The plants which exhibit saprotrophic mode of nutrition are called as saprotrophs
 Saprotrophs secrete digestive juices onto dead and decaying matter to dissolve it and then absorb
nutrients from it.
 Examples of saprotrophs are moulds, mushrooms, yeasts and some bacteria.

Fig: moulds, mushrooms, yeasts and some bacteria

Symbiotic plants:
 In this mode of nutrition there is a close association between two different plants of different
categories.
 In such type of association both the plants get benefited.
 For example certain fungi live in the roots of the trees. In this case tree provides nutrients to fungi
and in return receives help from it to take up water and nutrients from the soil.

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1.5 HOW NUTRIENTS BEING REPLENISHED IN SOIL
 Plants absorb mineral nutrients from the soil in order to make their own food and for other important
processes.
 Soils need to be enriched with nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium etc regularly.
 Only then can we grow plants and keep them healthy.
 There are 17 most important nutrients for plants.
 6 are called macronutrients and rests are called micronutrients.
 Macronutrients are required in large quantities while micronutrients are required in very small
quantities.
Symbiotic Relationship:
 Organisms that live together and share their shelter and nutrients are said to be in a symbiotic
relationship.
 Certain fungi live in the roots of trees.
 The tree provides nutrients to the fungus and, in return, receives help from it to take up water and
nutrients from the soil.
 This association works well for both the fungi and the tree.
 Another most common example is of Rhizobium bacteria.
 They reside in the root nodules of leguminous plants.
 The bacteria provide a plant with nitrogen that they fix and in turn, they get shelter and food from
the plant.
Rhizobium:
 Rhizobium is a type of bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a soluble form that can be
utilized by plants (nitrogen fixation).
 It usually resides in the roots of leguminous plants like peas, gram, moong etc and is instrumental in
providing these plants with a rich source of nitrogen.
Nitrogen Fixation:
 Nitrogen is an important nutrient required for soil and for plants.
 However, nitrogen in the atmosphere is not easily accessible.
 The process by which nitrogen is converted into a form that can be used by plants and other living
organisms is called nitrogen fixation.
Did You Know?
Cactus Plants
 Most of the photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of green plants.
 However, in case of some desert plants, it takes place in their stem and even branches.
 Cacti are found in the desert and their leaves are modified to spines to avoid loss of water due to
transpiration.
 Therefore, their green stems enable them to carry out the process of photosynthesis.

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Boojho and Paheli Question Answer Session:

1. Boojho wants to know how plants prepare their own food.

Answer:
Plants prepare their food using the process of Photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of green plants.
Chlorophyll present in green leaves absorbs energy from sunlight, carbon dioxide from air and water
from soil and synthesis food.
2. Paheli wants to know why our body cannot make food from carbon dioxide, water and
minerals like plants do?
Answer
Chlorophyll, sunlight, carbon dioxide and water are the necessary components for photosynthesis to be
taken place. In the case of absence of anyone of these, photosynthesis is not possible.
Since, our body does not have chlorophyll including other necessary mechanism for photosynthesis, so
our body do not synthesise food like plants do.
3. Boojho wants to know how water and minerals absorbed by roots reach the leaves.
Answer:
Plants have a system of hair like capillaries in their stems. These capillaries are called xylem.
Plants absorb water and minerals from roots and transport them to the leaves and other parts of plants
through these capillaries known as xylem.
4. Paheli wants to know what is so special about the leaves that they can synthesise food but
other parts of the plant cannot.
Answer
In the leaves of plants chemical named chlorophyll is found. The green colour of leaves is due to the
presence of chlorophyll in them. There are many small pores found on the lower surface of leaves
which are called stomata.
Leaves absorb energy from sunlight using chlorophyll and carbon dioxide from air
through stomata and water and other minerals from soil.
After getting carbon dioxide, water and other minerals in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll,
leaves synthesise food. The food making process of plants is called photosynthesis. Since, food is
synthesizing in leaves of the plants, so leave is called Kitchen of plants.
Since chlorophyll is not present in other parts of plants, such as stem, so photosynthesis does not take
place in other parts of plants.
5. Boojho has observed some plants with deep red, violet or brown leaves. He wants to know
whether these leaves also carry out photosynthesis.
Answer: Leaves having deep red, violet or brown also have chlorophyll present in them. But these
colours overlap the green colour of chlorophyll, so green colour is not seen in such leaves.
Since, these other colour leaves such as deep red, violet or brown also have chlorophyll present in them,
thus photosynthesis takes place in these leaves also.

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 Fig: Leaves of different colours
6. Paheli wants to know whether mosquitoes, bed bugs, lice and leeches that suck our blood are
also parasites?
Answer
Organisms which feed on other organisms are called parasites.
Since, mosquitoes, bed bugs, lice and leeches feed on other animals by sucking their blood, to these are
also parasites.
7. Boojho is confused. If the pitcher plant is green and carries out photosynthesis, then why
does it feed on insects?
Answer
Soil in which plants like pitcher plants grow is deficient in some nutrients so pitcher plants could not get
all required nutrients from solid.
Thus, pitcher plants eat insects to fulfill the requirement of those nutrients which they not get from soil
in which they grow.
8. Boojho wants to know how these organisms acquire nutrients. They do not have mouths like
animals do. They are not like green plants as they lack chlorophyll and cannot make food by
photosynthesis.
Answer
The question of Boojho is about saprotrophs. The mode of nutrition is different in saprotrophs.
Saprotrophs do not have mouth similar to animals neither have chlorophyll similar to leaves.
Saprotrophs feed on dead and decaying organisms. Saprotrophs secrete digestive juice over the dead and
decaying animas and convert it into a solution. Then they absorb the nutrients from it. This mode of
nutrition is called saprotrophic mode of nutrition. Mushroom is an example of saprotrophs.
9. Paheli is keen to know whether her beautiful shoes, which she wore on special occasions, were
spoiled by fungi during the rainy season. She wants to know how fungi appear suddenly
during the rainy season.
Answer
The spores of fungi are generally present in air. When they land on wet and warm things they germinate
and grow. The weather in rainy season is moist and humid which is most suitable to germinate and grow
for fungi. So, these fungi grow in rainy season and spoil the things on which they grow.

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 10. Boojho says once his grandfather told him that his wheat fields were spoiled by a fungus. He
wants to know if fungi cause diseases also.
Answer
Fungi feed on other organisms on which they germinate and grow. To get nutrients fungi secretes
digestive juice on organism which they grow and converts it into a solution. Then they absorb nutrients
from it. During getting nutrients fungi decompose the organisms on which they grow. This is the cause
that fungi are called natural decomposer.
Sometimes fungi germinate and grow on wheat, rice and other plants and spoiled them to get nutrients.
This is called fungal disease.
Thus, fungi cause disease also.
11. Paheli told him that many fungi like yeast and mushrooms are useful, but some fungi cause
diseases in plants, animals and humans. Some fungi are also used in medicines.
Answer
Useful fungi
Yeast and mushrooms are useful fungi. Yeast is used in fermentation of doe used for making bread,
cake, and used for fermentation of fruit juice to make wine, bear, soy sauce, etc. Mushroom which is a
fungus is used as vegetable.
Fungi which causes for diseases
Some fungi spoiled the plants after germinate and growing over them. Some fungi are cause for skin
disease in animals. For example ringworm is a fungal skin disease. Dandruff is also a fungal disease.
Fungi used as medicine
Some fungi are used to make antibiotics. Since fungi are natural decomposer thus, some fungi are used
in making weedicides which control unwanted plants in field.

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