Salt losses and redistribution of salts in higher plants

In a young developing plant the content of mineral constituents steadily increases both in the whole of the plant and in its different organs. The inorganic ions arriving at the young leaves are almost entirely incorporated into the growing tissues. In old leaves, to which minerals are still transported by the transpiration stream, the need is much less and the reexport is favoured. In the mature plant there is thus a redistribution and backward transport of the mineral elements (at least for some of them). For some easily mobile elements a decrease of the total amount contained in the plant may also begin. Redistribution and also losses of mineral elements are still more obvious in old senescent plants and in dying organs.