Which plant tissue conducts sugars from the leaves to other parts of the plant?

• A. Phloem
• B. Xylem
• C. Cortex
• D. Periderm

Answer: (A)

Sugars produced by photosynthesis are moved through a tissue specialized for distributing those sugars to all parts of the plant. That tissue is phloem. It is made up of sieve tube elements and companion cells that form the transport system for photoassimilates like sucrose, a process known as translocation.

In the leaves, sugars are loaded into the phloem, and water follows by osmosis from neighboring xylem, creating a flow that pushes the sugary sap toward where it’s needed or stored. At growing tissues or storage organs, sugars are unloaded and used or stored, and the sap can move in multiple directions depending on demand. This bidirectional movement contrasts with xylem, which mainly carries water and minerals from roots up to the leaves and does not transport sugars.

Other tissues don’t transport sugars long distances. Cortex is a surrounding ground tissue involved in storage and support, not a long-distance transport pathway. Periderm is the protective outer layer of bark, not a conduit for nutrient movement.

So, the tissue responsible for carrying sugars from the leaves to the rest of the plant is phloem.