Introduction
- Root is the most essential part of a plant that grows down to the soil and water.
- Root avoid the sunlight, as it grows down to soil and water, and absorbs mineral salt and water from the soil.
- However, some typical roots are also aerial or aerating, that grow up above the ground or especially above the water.
- Roots do not have leaves, buds, and nodes.
Functions of the Roots
- The roots absorb mineral salts and water from the soil then supply them to other parts of the plants.
- Roots provide foundation to plants and keep them static.
- Some roots absorb foods for the contingency period; e.g. radish, carrot, etc.
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Types of Roots
- Primarily, roots are classified as −
- Tap Root
- Fibrous Root
- Adventitious Root
- Let’s discuss them in brief −
Tap Root
- There is a main root (see the image given below) that grows faster and it has many branches. Usually, it occurs in dicotyledon plants.
Fibrous Roots
- There is as such no primary root rather there are numerous roots of similar shape, thickness, and size.
- It is typical feature of monocots (plant).
Adventitious Root
- A typical root that grows from any part of a plant except the primary root part.
- Adventitious root may be underground or may aerial.
Modified Taproots
- The following table illustrates some typical examples of modified taproots −
| Taproots | Examples |
|---|---|
| Conical shape | Carrot |
| Napiform | Beet root |
| Fusiform | Radish |
| Pneumatophores | Sundari plants |
| Pneumatophores | Sundari plants |
Modified Adventitious Roots
- The following table illustrates some typical examples of modified adventitious roots −
| Adventitious Roots | Examples |
|---|---|
| Aerial root | Orcede |
| Parasitic root | Kascutta |
| Moniliform root | Grapes |
| Prop root | Banyan tree |
| Stilt root | Sugarcane, maize, etc. |
- Note − Tuber is a stem that grow horizontally under the soil and develop roots on their lower surfaces. Major function of this swollen stem is to store food and nutrients. E.g. potato, onion, etc.
The Roots