Question

What are the plant pigments?

Answer 1

Pigments:

1. They are illustrated as a set of compounds, which exhibits an intense colour and are used in the colouring of other substances.
2. They are also known as biochromes or biological pigments.
3. The organic pigments are formed from natural sources, while the synthetic pigments are obtained from coal tars and some kinds of petrochemicals.

The following are the pigments found in the plants:

i) Chlorophyll:

1. It is one of the primary pigments found within the cells of all green plants.
2. It is the most substantial and essential pigment found in nature, which plays an essential function in the biological processes of plants and other organisms.
3. The prime function of chlorophyll is to perform the process of photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight.
4. The process by which plants and some organisms utilize water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide to produce energy in the form of sugar is photosynthesis.
5. In nature different types of chlorophyll pigments are witnessed:

• Chlorophyll a: It is found in cyanobacteria, algae, and higher plants.
• Chlorophyll b: Found in higher plants and green algae.
• Chlorophyll c: Found in some marine algae, and photosynthetic Chromista.
• Chlorophyll d: Found In red algae.

ii) Carotenoids:

1. They are pigments that come in the form of red, orange, and yellow colors.
2. These compounds are not soluble in water and are found in combination with the membranes of the cell bodies.
3. They function as photoprotective agents and as accessory light-harvesting pigments in the process of photosynthesis.

iii) Anthocyanins:

1. They are the kind of flavonoid pigments, which are found naturally in all the tissues of higher plants.
2. The main function of this pigment is to provide colour to the stems, roots, flowers, and fruits.
3. Based on their pH, these pigments appear blue, red, and purple.

iv) Flavonoids:

1. These are the kind of yellow-colored pigments, which are profusely found in grapefruit, lemons, and oranges.
2. This kind of pigment is primarily found in the cytoplasm and plastids of the plant cell.
3. These are the chemicals with antioxidant characteristics, which protects the plants against pathogens.