The water inside a coconut travels up from the tree's roots, through the trunk, and into the developing coconut fruit.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
- Root Absorption: The coconut tree's roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil.
- Xylem Transport: This water travels upwards through the tree's xylem, which is a network of vascular tissue acting like tiny straws. The xylem uses capillary action and transpiration (evaporation from the leaves) to draw water upwards, defying gravity. The video excerpt mentioned this "straw" action.
- Nutrient Delivery: Along with water, the xylem transports essential nutrients to all parts of the tree, including the developing coconuts.
- Coconut Absorption: As the coconut develops, it absorbs this water and nutrients from the tree. The "coconut water" is essentially the liquid endosperm, which nourishes the developing solid endosperm (the coconut "meat").
In essence, the coconut acts as a reservoir for the water and nutrients transported by the tree's vascular system. This process continues as the coconut matures, with the water eventually being absorbed and converted into the solid coconut meat.
