Class 7th - Nutrition in Plants • Transportation of water and Minerals in

• Nutrients - Certain substances are present in the foods that help in the survival of the plants - The roots of the plants absorbs the
organisms. These special substances are called nutrients for example, proteins, vitamins, water and minerals of the soil and then
carbohydrates, minerals and fats. transports them to the leaves via stems and
branches.
• Nutrition is the process of taking food by an organism and its utilisation by the body.
Green plants prepare their own food while humans and animals are directly or • Inhalation of Carbon Dioxide - There are
indirectly dependent on plants for their food. tiny holes or pores present on the surface of
the leaves called Stomata that take in the
• Modes of Nutrition carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere.
On the basis of a different mode of nutrition, organisms are categorised into two major
types, i.e. • Presences of Chlorophyll in the
(i) Autotrophs (auto-self, trophs-nourishment) Autotrophic nutrition is the mode of Leaves - A substance called Chlorophyll
nutrition in which organisms make their own food from the simple substance by the is present in the leaves of the plants. It
process of photosynthesis. Therefore, plants are called autotrophs. is a green colour pigment. The
(ii) Heterotrophs (heteros-other) Humans and animals do not contain chlorophyll and chlorophyll not only provides green
are dependent on plants for their food in readymade form. Those organisms which colour to the leaves but also helps in
cannot prepare their own food and take food from green plants or animals are called the process of photosynthesis.
heterotrophs and the mode of nutrition is called heterotrophic nutrition. Chlorophyll captures the sunlight and
along with other raw materials
• How do plants prepare their food? prepares the food in the leaves.
Plants prepare their food with the help of certain raw materials that they gather from their • This process of photosynthesis only
surroundings: occurs in the daytime in the presence
• water of Sunlight hence it is
• carbon dioxide called Photosynthesis, photo means
• sunlight light.
• minerals
• chlorophyll Why sun is called the ultimate source of energy for all living organisms?
The process by which plants prepare their food by using these raw materials is We know that the plants use solar energy to make their food. The herbivores animals
called Photosynthesis. depend upon the plants for their food. Animals (carnivores) that do not eat plants depend
upon the herbivores animals. Therefore, all of the living organisms directly or indirectly
• Where is the food made in plants? receive their energy from the Sun.
(i) Leaves are also known as the Food Factories of the plants as they are the places
where food is prepared. Cells in Living Organisms
All living organisms are made up of tiny structures called cells. Some organisms (microscopic)
• Reactions Involved in Photosynthesis contains only one cell while others plants and animals contain many cells of different kinds.
The whole process of photosynthesis can be given by the following equation: Parts of a cell:
1. The Nucleus - Every cell has a
nucleus present in the centre
that performs various
functions of the cell.
2. The Cell Membrane - Every cell has an outer boundary which protects the cell called insect secretes some digestive juices which
the Cell Membrane. help in the digestion of the insect. For
3. The cytoplasm - Every cell has a gel-like structure present in it called the Cytoplasm. Example, Dischidia and Nepenthes

• Importance of Photosynthesis 3. Saprotrophs - Some organisms survive

1. If the plants do not perform photosynthesis, there would be no food on earth. on decaying food and organisms. This mode
2. Photosynthesis is also necessary for the production of oxygen gas in the of nutrition is called saprotrophic nutrition
atmosphere which is necessary for the respiration of organisms. and the organisms that survive because of
Therefore, it can be said that no life is possible in the absence of photosynthesis. the saprotrophic nutrition are
• Can photosynthesis take place in other parts of the plant? called Saprophytes.
1. Yes, green stems and branches of the plants can also undergo the process of How do saprophytes obtain their
photosynthesis. For example, plants in the desert area like cactus do not have nutrition?
leaves but they still exist there because their stem produces the food for the plant • The saprophytes secrete digestive
• Can leaves which are red or Brown or violet in colour conduct photosynthesis? juices on the decaying and dead
1. In green pants, chlorophyll absorbs light energy from the sun to perform matter.
photosynthesis. Besides some green colour plants like Croton, maple, Colocasia, • These juices convert the matter into a
etc., have leaves that are red, brown, violet colour (variegated). These colours are solution.
present in large amounts and masks the green colour of chlorophyll in leaves. Thus, • The saprophytes that absorb the
these leaves also perform photosynthesis and synthesise starch in them. nutrients from the solution.
• For Example, Fungi (yeast and
How do plants generate proteins and fats? mushrooms) are a saprophytes that
Synthesis of Plant Food other than Carbohydrates can be found on stale food and pickles
• Along with carbohydrates, plants can also produce proteins and fats which are which are exposed to the hot and humid environment.
formed with the help of Nitrogen.
• Nitrogen is present in large amounts in the air but plants cannot consume the 4. Symbiotic Relationship - Sometimes organisms live together to share shelter and food
nitrogen directly from the atmosphere. with each other. These are said to have a symbiotic relationship.
• The soil often contains some bacteria that are capable of converting the nitrogen Examples of organisms living in a symbiotic relationship:
into nitrates which can be the used by the plants. • Some fungi live in the roots of the trees. These fungi take food from the trees and in
• Also, fertilizers used by farmers and gardeners contain a high amount of Nitrogen return help the trees in absorbing water and nutrients from the soil.
which mixes into the soil and is used by the plants. • Sometimes an organism that contains chlorophyll such as algae lives in association
with a fungus (together called as Lichens). The algae provide food and nutrition to
Nutrition in Plants that do not contain Chlorophyll the fungus while the fungus provides water, minerals and shelter to the algae.
Many plants do not contain any chlorophyll. Hence they are unable to prepare their food by
themselves. Therefore, they rely on other plants and animals for their food.

1. Parasitic Plants - Some plants live on another plant for their nutrition. These are called
parasites. The plants on which these parasitic plants survive are called the host. For Example,
cuscuta is a parasitic plant.

2. Insectivorous Plants - Some plants depend upon insects for the food and thus are
called Insectivorous. The leaves of these plants are modified into a pitcher like structure.
The top part of the leaves acts as a lid which can open and close the pitcher. The pitcher
contains hair in a downward direction which traps the insects. The pitcher on capturing the
Replenishing the Soil with Nutrients Worksheet 1:
• Plants get their nutrients from the soil mainly hence there is a need to replenish the
soil again with nutrients so that the plants can survive on it.
• Fertilizers and manure are often used to replenish the soil with the nutrients. They
contain potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen all of which are important for the
plants.
• A bacterium called Rhizobium is
present in the soil which can
convert nitrogen present in it in
the form that can be consumed by
the plants.
• The rhizobium generally lives in
the roots of the plants such as
peas, beans, grams and legumes
and provides nitrogen to these
plants. This again is an example of
a symbiotic relationship. The
farmers often do not need to use fertilizers while growing such crops. (Olympiads)
Worksheet 2:
Worksheet 3: