Heterotrophic Nutrition in Plants
Heterotrophic Nutrition in Plants is applicable to those non-green plants , who cannot make food for themselves through photosynthesis . Such organisms, like non – green plants take food from other green plants or animals. Such organisms are called heterotrophs and their mode of nutrition is called heterotrophic Nutrition in Plants.
Such non – green plants (like fungi (such as mushroom, yeast and bread mould)) do not have chlorophyll , and cannot carry out the process of making food . Such plants have heterotrophic mode of nutrition.
Plants which have also heterotrophic modes of nutrition can be divided into two main groups:
- Parasites, and
Heterotrophic modes of nutrition in Parasites
Non – green plants , which obtain food from living bodies of other plants or animals, are called plant parasites .‘Host’ of the parasite is the living organism, from whose body food is obtained.
Example : – Cuscuta , which is called Amarbel in Hindi, , does not have chlorophyll , and it cannot synthesise its own food.
Non – green plants which obtain their food from dead and decaying organic matter are called saprophytes.