Which plant tissue is primarily responsible for transporting water and minerals from the roots to the shoots?

• A. Phloem.
• B. Cambium.
• C. Xylem.
• D. Epidermis.

Answer: (C)

Water and minerals move from roots to shoots through xylem, a vascular tissue that forms continuous tubes from the roots up to the leaves. Xylem is made of hollow, dead cells (tracheids and vessel elements) that create a transport network. Water ascends mainly because of the transpiration pull in leaves and the cohesion of water molecules, carrying dissolved minerals with it. Phloem, in contrast, transports sugars and other organic nutrients, not water and minerals. Cambium is a growth tissue that makes new xylem and phloem, especially in woody plants, while the epidermis is the outer protective layer and not a transport tissue. So the tissue responsible for moving water and minerals up the plant is xylem.