Plants and Roots
Science Four
Introduction of Plants
Plants are living beings as we are. Plants grow and respire. Plants also need air to breathe. Plants also need water and food. As human or other animals cannot live without food, water and air, plants also cannot live without food, water and air. But plants cannot move but we can.
Parts of Plant
Plants have different parts such as root, stem, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Some parts of the plants are above the ground while some of the parts are under the ground. These parts of plants are divided mainly into two parts.
- Root
- Shoot
Root
Underground parts of the plants are called root. Root also is divided into parts and performs many functions and form a system. This system of plants is called Root system.
Shoot
Parts of plants which are above the ground which we see are called shoot. Shoot also have different parts, such as branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. All parts perform different work for plants like a system.
Upper parts of the plant are collectively known as Shoot System.
The Root
Root is very important part of a plant. Root helps plants to absorb water and minerals from the soil. Plants makes food using minerals and water get through root. Root holds the plants upright in the soil. Root prevents a plant from falling.
Types of roots
Different plants have different types of structure of root. There are mainly two types of root.
- Tap Root
- Fibrous Root
Tap Root
A single thick long root with many thin roots grown from it is called tap root. Many plant such as beans, rose, lady fingers, radish, carrot, beet as well as many trees such as peepal, neem, mango etc. have tap root.
Fibrous Root
Roots in which many thin roots coming out from the base of the plants and tappers downwards are called fibrous root. Small plants such as, grass, banana, wheat, paddy, maize, and all of the cereals have fibrous root.
Function of Root
Roots absorb water and minerals from soil.
Roots give anchoring to the tree. This means roots help tree to keep stand upright.
Roots of some plant store food and nutrients for future use.
Roots of plants help in soil conservation.
Modified Root
Root of many plants modified to perform additional functions. Examples of some of the modified roots are given here:
Root of some plants modified into thick roots to storage of food for plants. These roots are eaten by man and animals and are called edible roots. For example - Radish, carrot, beat root etc.
In some of the big trees, roots get modified to provide extra support to the plant. For example: baniyan tree, peepal tree, etc. get extra support with the help of special roots that grow downwards from their branches.
Some plants thin and long stems. Such plants require extra support to keep themselves standing right. Such roots arise from the base of the stem and give extra support to the plants. For example plants of maize, sugarcane, etc.
Mangrove plants grow in marshy areas. Because of water logging in marshy lands such trees and plants do not get sufficient oxygen through their roots. In such plants some roots come out from the soil and get oxygen from fresh air.
Aerial Roots
Roots which come out from the soil to give extra support to plants and get fresh air from atmosphere are called aerial roots.
Reference:
1. Fig-1- Tap root(reduced size from original): By Scivit (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Fig-2- Aerial root Banyan Treen - From wikipedia.org
3. Fig-3- Aerial root - Mangroove tree-Taken from Wikipedia.org
