Excretion in Plants

Excretion in Plants Synopsis

Synopsis

Plants also produce several waste products during their life processes.
They do not have a well-developed excretory system like the animals.
The excretory products in plants are eliminated out of the plant body by different mechanisms.
Carbon dioxide, excess water produced during respiration and nitrogenous compounds produced during protein metabolism are the major excretory products in plants.

Excretion of Gaseous Wastes

Plants produce two gaseous waste products i.e. oxygen during photosynthesis and carbon dioxide during respiration.
Excretion of gaseous wastes in plants takes place through stomatal pores on leaves.
Oxygen released during photosynthesis is used for respiration while carbon dioxide released during respiration is used for photosynthesis.

Excretion of Excess Water

Excess of water is also excreted from the plant body through the stomatal pores and from the surfaces of fruits and stems through the process of transpiration.

Excretion of Organic By-Products

Metabolism in plants also generates organic by-products. These wastes are stored in different forms in different parts.
The gums, oils, latex, resins, etc. are some waste products stored in plant parts like barks, stems, leaves, etc. Eventually, plants shed off these parts.
The oil produced from orange, eucalyptus and jasmine, latex from the rubber tree, papaya tree, and gums from acacia, are different forms of stored waste products. Sometimes these products are even excreted into the soil.

Excretion in Aquatic Plants

Aquatic plants respire and dispose of wastes by diffusion.
Diffusion is a process by which oxygen and nutrients dissolve in water and reach aquatic plants.
The waste materials diffuse out of the plants as diffusion takes place from higher concentration to lower concentration.

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