Heterotrophic Nutrition in plants for class 7
March 4, 2023 | by Sravani Pathakamuri | Posted in Nutrition Facts
Heterotrophic nutrition is a type of nutrition in which an organism depends on other organisms for its food. In plants, heterotrophic nutrition can occur in the form of parasitism or saprophytism.
- Parasitism: In parasitic plants, the plant obtains its nutrition from another plant by attaching itself to the host plant’s stem, roots, or leaves. The parasitic plant absorbs water, minerals, and organic compounds from the host plant, weakening or even killing it. Examples of parasitic plants include mistletoe and dodder.
- Saprophytism: In saprophytic plants, the plant obtains its nutrition from dead organic matter. The plant releases enzymes that break down the dead organic matter, such as dead leaves, and absorb the nutrients. Examples of saprophytic plants include fungi and some types of bacteria.
It is important to note that most plants are autotrophic, meaning they produce their own food through photosynthesis, and only a few plants have heterotrophic nutrition.