Which plant tissue is responsible for transporting sugars from the leaves to other parts of the plant?

• A. Phloem
• B. Perennial
• C. Nematode
• D. Phytotoxicity

Answer: (A)

Sugars move through the phloem, the plant tissue responsible for distributing organic nutrients from photosynthetic leaves to roots, stems, and developing or storage tissues. Phloem consists of sieve tube elements connected by sieve plates and aided by companion cells. At sources like leaves, sugars are actively loaded into the phloem, creating a higher pressure that pushes the sap through the tubes toward sinks where the sugars are unloaded and used or stored. This pressure-driven flow can move in any direction depending on where the sugar is needed. The other terms aren’t tissues that transport sugars—perennial is a life-form term, nematode is a parasite, and phytotoxicity refers to chemical toxicity to plants.