Hi, today in science class, can you explain the saprophytic and parasitic modes of nutrition please? I forgot.
Hi, sure! Let's start with saprophytic nutrition. It is the process of feeding on dead and decaying organic matter. These plants lack green color. Some examples are - mushrooms, yeast and some bacteria.
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Oh okay. What about parasitic?
In this mode of nutrition, one living organism lives on another organism and derives food from that organism. The organism that derives food is called a parasite and the other organism which the parasite lives on is called the host. The parasites produce special structures called haustoria for absorbing food
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Parasites may be total or partial. Dodder or amarbel (Cuscuta) is a total parasite and is completely dependent on the host plant for food. Amarbel turns around the stem and branches of trees. Mistletoe is a partial parasite. This plant has green leaves and can synthesize its own food. But it receives water and minerals from the host plant on which it grows.