How plants use glucose

How plants use glucose

1. For respiration

   • Plants make glucose in their leaves
   • They use some of the glucose for respiration.
   • This releases energy which enables them to convert the rest of the glucose into various other useful substances.
     • Which they can use to build new cells and grow.
   • To produce some of these substances they also need to gather a few minerals from the soil.

2. Making cell walls

   • Glucose is converted into cellulose for making strong cell walls, especially in a rapid growing plant like bamboo.

3. Making proteins

   • Glucose is combined with nitrate ions (absorbed from the soil) to make amino acids which are then made into proteins.

4. Stored in seeds

   • Glucose is turned into lipids (fats and oils) for storing in seeds.
   • Sunflower seeds, for example contain a lot of oil - we get cooking oil and margarine from them.
   • Seeds also store starch.

5. Stored as starch

   • Glucose is turned into starch and stored in roots, stems and leaves, ready for use when photosynthesis isn't happening, like the winter.
   • Starch is insoluble which makes it much better for storing than glucose. A cell with lots of glucose in it would draw in loads of water and swell up.