The tissue that transports proteins and sugar in vascular plants is ______.

• A. Cambium
• B. Xylem
• C. Phloem
• D. Parenchyma

Answer: (C)

Phloem is the tissue that transports organic nutrients, including sugars and other dissolved compounds like amino acids and even some proteins, throughout the plant. It moves sap from sources (such as leaves where sugars are produced) to sinks (growing tissues, fruits, roots) via sieve tube elements supported by companion cells, using the pressure-flow mechanism. Xylem, by contrast, moves water and minerals upward from the roots and isn’t responsible for transporting sugars. Cambium is a growth layer that generates new phloem and xylem during secondary growth, while parenchyma is versatile storage and metabolic tissue. So the tissue that carries sugars and related solutes is phloem.