Which one of the following statements pertaining to plant structure is correct ?

Options

A. The shoot apical meristem has a quiescent centre .
B. Cork lacks stomata but lenticels carry out transpiration
C. Passage cells help in transfer of food from cortex to phloem
D. Sieve tube elements possess cytoplasm but no nuclei .

Answer

To solve the question "Which one of the following statements pertaining to plant structure is correct?", we will analyze each option provided.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Question**:
- We need to identify which statement about plant structure is correct among the given options.

2. **Analyzing Option 1**:
- **Statement**: "The shoot apical meristem has the quiescent center."
- **Evaluation**: This statement is incorrect. The quiescent center is found in the root apical meristem, not in the shoot apical meristem.

3. **Analyzing Option 2**:
- **Statement**: "Cork lacks stomata but lenticels carry out transpiration."
- **Evaluation**: This statement is correct. Cork (the outer bark) does not have stomata, while lenticels are specialized structures that allow gas exchange in woody stems and can facilitate transpiration.

4. **Analyzing Option 3**:
- **Statement**: "Passage cells help in the transfer of food from the cortex to phloem."
- **Evaluation**: This statement is incorrect. Passage cells primarily facilitate the transfer of solutes, not food, from the cortex to the phloem.

5. **Analyzing Option 4**:
- **Statement**: "Sieve tube elements possess cytoplasm but no nuclei."
- **Evaluation**: This statement is incorrect. Sieve tube elements lack both a nucleus and a significant amount of cytoplasm.

6. **Conclusion**:
- The only correct statement is Option 2: "Cork lacks stomata but lenticels carry out transpiration."

### Final Answer:
The correct statement pertaining to plant structure is Option 2.