What prevents soil water from diffusing through endodermal cell walls?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Casparian strip is a waxy barrier found in the cell walls of endodermal cells that surrounds the vascular cylinder in plants. This strip prevents water and solutes from passing through the cell walls and into the xylem via the apoplast pathway, forcing them to pass through the plasma membranes of endodermal cells and through transport proteins, allowing for selective absorption of necessary nutrients.

What Prevents Soil Water from Diffusing Through Endodermal Cell Walls