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Minerals are transported upwards along with water through the tracheary components of xylem. Which of the following statements correctly explains this process?

1. After rainfall, some water seeps downward due to gravity and becomes unavailable to plants. Similarly, hygroscopic water is unavailable because soil particles bind it tightly. Chemically bound water is part of compounds, while capillary water, held in small soil pores by capillary forces, is accessible to roots.
2. A pitcher plant is a carnivorous species that traps insects. The lid closes in response to external stimuli caused by the insect, leading to its capture.
3. Water moves into a system with higher diffusion pressure deficit (DPD) from one with lower DPD. The driving force for water movement is the difference between osmotic pressure (OP) and turgor pressure (TP), expressed as DPD = OP - TP.
4. The loss of water from leaf edges is termed guttation. It occurs when water absorption exceeds the rate of transpiration, leading to root pressure that forces water out through specialized pores called hydathodes, especially in humid conditions.

Correct answer: Water moves into a system with higher diffusion pressure deficit (DPD) from one with lower DPD. The driving force for water movement is the difference between osmotic pressure (OP) and turgor pressure (TP), expressed as DPD = OP - TP.

Solution

The correct explanation for the upward movement of minerals with water in xylem is related to diffusion pressure deficit (DPD). Water moves from a region of lower DPD to higher DPD, and this process is driven by osmotic pressure and turgor pressure differences.

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