Which plant tissue is responsible for lateral growth and increasing the girth or thickness of the stem and root?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Lateral meristems, comprising the vascular cambium and cork cambium, drive secondary growth that increases plant stem and root thickness over time. Apical meristems drive primary vertical growth at root and shoot tips, whereas intercalary meristems facilitate elongation at node bases in grasses. Plant tissue anatomy is a fundamental topic in biology question papers.