Question

The bundle sheath cells of $C_4$ plants having Kranz anatomy possess

• A. Thin walls, no intercellular spaces and several granal chloroplasts.
• B. Thick walls, many intercellular spaces and few chloroplasts.
• C. Thin walls, many intercellular spaces and no chloroplasts.
• D. Thick walls, no intercellular spaces and large number of agranal chloroplasts.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Thick walls, no intercellular spaces and large number of agranal chloroplasts.

Kranz anatomy is a special structure in the leaves of plants that have a $C_4$ pathway of carbon dioxide fixation. The leaves contain a ring of mesophyll cells, containing a few small chloroplasts concerned with the initial fixing of carbon dioxide, surrounding a sheath of parenchyma cells (the bundle sheath) which has large chloroplasts involved in the Calvin cycle. Bundle sheath cells, contains starch-rich chloroplasts (agranal) lacking grana in a large amount. These bundle sheath cells have no inter cellular spaces. Thus, option D is correct and other options are incorrect.