how glucose is used by the plant

• glucose is the most important product of photosynthesis
• glucose contains a lot of energy which is released in respiration, this energy is used for growth, repair and various metabolic processes
• not all glucose is used for respiration, some is stored as starch in the roots, stems and leaves for when photosynthesis does not occur, starch is insoluble so it is better for storing
• glucose is moved around in phloem vessels
• glucose and the energy from respiration is also used to make cellulose- which is used to make cell walls
• glucose can be combined with nitrate ions and other minerals from the soil to make amino acids- which are used to make proteins, including enzymes
• glucose can be made into fats which are used as an energy store, to make cell membranes or fat stores in seeds
• glucose is ultimately responsible for making components needed to build the plants cells
• glucose needs to be converted to starch for storage because it is insoluble in water and has no effect on the water balance of the plant, so large amounts can be stored, also starch is the main energy source of the plant
• venus fly traps get the nitrates needed to survive from animals such as the insects that they catch, they use enzymes to digest the insects they catch