Question

What do we mean by source and sink of the plant?

Answer 1

Functionally a plant can be divided into source and sink, sources being the parts where net fixation of carbon dioxide occurs, and sinks being the sites where assimilates are stored or used. Allocation of assimilates between plant parts occurs via transport in the phloem.The mechanism by which sugars are transported through the phloem, from sources to sinks, is called pressure flow. At the sources (usually the leaves), sugar molecules are moved into the sieve elements (phloem cells) through active transport.