What is translocation in plants?

Translocation refers specifically to the process of transporting the products of photosynthesis, primarily sugars like sucrose, throughout the plant via the phloem tissue. This movement is essential because it allows for the distribution of energy to various parts of the plant, such as growing tissues, storage organs, and developing fruits and seeds. Phloem is specially adapted to carry these organic substances, and this process is driven by osmotic pressure and the metabolic activities in different plant tissues.

The other options each describe different physiological processes in plants. The movement of water in xylem pertains to the upward transport of water and minerals from roots to leaves, crucial for photosynthesis and nutrient transport but unrelated to translocation. The growth of roots towards water is known as hydrotropism, related to how plants respond to moisture gradients in their environment. Finally, the removal of nutrients from leaves could indicate processes involved in nutrient cycling or leaf senescence, but it does not relate to the function of phloem in translocation. Each of these processes is important in the overall functioning of plants but does not define translocation itself.