Which route of water absorption is inhibited by the Casparian strip?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Casparian strip, a band of cell wall material impregnated with suberin and sometimes lignin, is located in the roots' endodermal cells. It blocks the apoplastic pathway (movement of water and solutes across cell walls and intercellular spaces) to ensure that substances entering the vascular system are selectively absorbed through the symplast (the cytoplasmic continuum interconnected by plasmodesmata). This control mechanism prevents the passive flow of substances into the vascular tissue, requiring them to cross at least one cell membrane, thus allowing the plant to regulate the uptake of water and nutrients.

Which Route of Water Absorption Is Inhibited by the Casparian