Difference Between Shoot and Stem

The key difference between shoot and stem is that shoot is an above-ground part of a plant and consists of leaves, buds, flowering stems, flowering buds and the main stem, while stem is the main structural axis of the plant that consists of nodes and internodes.

A plant has different parts. Shoot system and root system are the two main structural parts of a plant. Shoot system is the above ground part while root system is the below ground part. Moreover, shoot system is responsible for the food production by photosynthesis while root system is responsible for water and mineral absorption from the soil. Therefore, both parts work together for the survival of the plant. Shoot has different components such as leaves, flowers, flower stems, buds, and the main stem, etc. Stem is the main axis of the plant, and it consists of nodes and internodes. Therefore, stem is a part of the shoot that provides mechanical support to shoot.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Shoot
3. What is a Stem
4. Similarities Between Shoot and Stem
5. Side by Side Comparison – Shoot vs Stem in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is a Shoot?

Shoot is the above-ground part of the plant that is responsible for the food production while growing upwards. In simple words, shoot is the overall part of the plant that exists above the soil surface. It includes main stem, leaves, flowers, buds and flower stems.

Figure 01: Shoot

The term ‘shoot’ also refers to the young plant that rises from the ground after the seed germinates. Shoot shows phototropic movements. It grows in the direction of sunlight. Hence, its movement is positive phototropic.

What is a Stem?

Stem is an integral part of the plant shoot. It is the main axis of the plant, and it also provides an axis for buds, fruits and leaves. Vascular tissues run through the stem of vascular plants. Hence, stem is responsible for the conduction of water and minerals to the shot and also the transport of foods from leaves to the other parts of the plant.

Figure 02: Plant Stem

Moreover, it provides structural support to the other parts of the shoot.

What are the Similarities Between Shoot and Stem?

• Shoot and stem are two parts of a plant.
• In fact, stem is a component of a shoot.
• Also, both can photosynthesize.
• And, they are also able to grow.
• Moreover, both stem and shoot are above ground plant parts.

What is the Difference Between Shoot and Stem?

Shoot is the above-ground part of the plant while stem is a part of the shoot. Shoot consists of flowers, leaves, stem, buds, flower stems, etc. Stem consists of nodes and internodes. Thus, this is the key difference between shoot and stem.

Moreover, a functional difference between shoot and stem is that the shoot is responsible mainly for photosynthesis, while the stem is mainly responsible for conduction of water, minerals and food around the plant.

Summary –  Shoot vs Stem

In summary of the difference between shoot and stem, the shoot is an above-ground part of a plant, while the stem is a part of the shoot. Shoot includes stem, flowers, leaves, flower stems, buds, etc. It is mainly responsible for food production by carrying out photosynthesis. On the other hand, stem provides the main axis of the plant. It also provides axes to flowers and fruits. Furthermore, stem conducts water, minerals and foods around the plant.

Reference:

1. “Plant Biology: Roots, Shoots, Stems, and Leaves.” Dummies, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “2787956” (CC0) via Pxhere
2. “347920” (CC0) via Pixabay

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