In a hollow hearted stem, what is most affected

Options

A. Conduction of food
B. Conduction of water
C. Storage of food
D. None of the above

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Structure of a Stem**:
- A stem consists of various parts, including the pericycle, vascular bundles (which contain xylem and phloem), and the pith.

2. **Identifying the Components of the Stem**:
- The pith is located at the center of the stem and is surrounded by vascular bundles that include xylem and phloem.

3. **Functions of the Components**:
- The **phloem** is responsible for the conduction of food (nutrients) throughout the plant.
- The **xylem** is responsible for the conduction of water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.
- The **pith** primarily functions as a storage area for nutrients and food.

4. **Understanding Hollow Hearted Stems**:
- In a hollow hearted stem, the center part (the pith) is absent. This means that the space that normally would be occupied by the pith is hollow.

5. **Determining What is Affected**:
- Since the pith is responsible for storing nutrients, its absence in a hollow hearted stem means that the storage of food will be affected.
- The conduction of water and food through xylem and phloem will not be affected as they are still present.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, in a hollow hearted stem, the most affected aspect is the storage of nutrients and food due to the absence of the pith.

### Final Answer:
In a hollow hearted stem, the storage of nutrients (food) is most affected due to the absence of the pith.

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