Question

Aerenchyma is derived from
A) Phloem
B) Xylem
C) Parenchyma
D) Sclerenchyma

Answer 1

The cells in Aerenchyma are organised with normal air spaces or air chambers to allow gases to diffuse and provide buoyancy to aquatic plants like lotus and water hyacinth. Wheat, rice and corn all have lysigenous aerenchyma. Intercellular gas spaces form inside a tissue as it grows without cell death, resulting in schizogenous aerenchyma.

Complete answer:
The primary tissues found in plants are divided namely- parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma.
- The parenchyma cells are involved in photosynthesis, storage, and secretion. Parenchyma is a term used to classify the functional tissues in plants and animals. These are living and thin walled.
-Aerenchyma is a special type of parenchyma. It is a plant tissue with larger gas spaces than those found in intracellular spaces. It forms in the roots and shoots of wetland species, as well as in the roots and shoots of some dryland species, under adverse conditions, either naturally or as a result of abiotic stress.
-The collenchyma cells help and transport nutrients.
- Sclerenchyma cells are the dead cells which function in providing support, protection, and transport water.
- Phloem is the vascular bundle in plants that is responsible for transport of food (sucrose) in the plant.
- Xylem on the other hand is the plant’s vascular tissue that transports water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant and also provides physical support.

Since aerenchyma is derived from parenchyma. Therefore, the correct option is (C).

Note: Hydrophytes have a lot of aerenchyma. It is essentially a sponge and very light tissue that forms air or spaces in stems, roots, or leaves, allowing different gases to exchange. The channels of air-filled cavities provide a low-resistance internal route for gas exchange between the plant above water and the submerged tissues.