GENBIO: Roots (Slide share)

Question 1

The root’s function to locate water and minerals, roots permeate the soil.
They anchor the plant in one place for its entire life.

Answer 1

Anchorage

Question 2

The root’s function to absorb large amounts of water and dissolved minerals like nitrates, phosphates and sulfates from the soil.

Answer 2

Absorption

Question 3

The root’s function to transport water and minerals upward into the stem and food from leaves to storage regions of roots.

Answer 3

Conduction

Question 4

The root’s function to store large amount of energy reserves, initially produced in the leaves of plants via photosynthesis and transported in the phloem, as sugar, to the roots for storage, usually as sugar or starch, until they are needed.

Answer 4

Storage

Question 5

2 other functions of roots

Answer 5

Reproduction

Photosynthesis

Question 6

2 other functions of roots

Answer 6

Reproduction

Photosynthesis

Question 7

The first root that comes out from a plant.

Answer 7

Embryonic root or radicle

Question 8

The entire mass of underground roots produced by a plant.

Answer 8

Root System

Question 9

Three main parts of the root system

Answer 9

1. Zone of maturation
2. Zone of elongation
3. Meristematic zone

Question 10

3 parts of the Zone of maturation

Answer 10

1. Lateral root
2. Primary root
3. Root hairs

Question 11

2 parts of the Meristematic zone

Answer 11

1. Root tip

2. Root cap

Question 12

2 major kinds of Root system

Answer 12

1. Taproot system

2. Fibrous (diffuse) root system

Question 13

A strongly developed main root which grows downwards bearing lateral roots much smaller than itself.

This is common in dicots and conifers.

The radicle enlarges to form a prominent taproot that persists throughout the life of the plant.

Answer 13

Taproot system

Question 14

It has several to many roots of the same size that develop from the end of the stem, with smaller lateral roots branching off of them.

Most monocots have this system.

Radicle is short-lived and is replaced by a mass of adventitious roots.

Answer 14

Fibrous (diffuse) root system

Question 15

Roots that form on organs other than roots. These roots arise not from preexisting roots, but from the stem.

Answer 15

Adventitious roots

Question 16

They have a taproot system consisting of a large taproot and smaller branch roots.

Answer 16

Most dicots

Question 17

They maximize support and storage.

Answer 17

Taproot systems

Question 18

They have a fibrous root system consisting of similarly sized roots that maximize absorption.

Answer 18

Monocots

Question 19

Roots that form on organs other than roots.

They rise from anything other than the radicle.

Ex. Roots of poison ivy growing on a tree trunk

Answer 19

Adventitious roots

Question 20

Storage - thickened roots which contain large amount of stored food (starch or carbohydrates) or sometimes water to survive cold or dry seasons

3 specialized roots for storage:

Answer 20

1. Fusiform roots
2. Conical roots
3. Napiform roots

Question 21

These roots are thicker in the middle and tapered on both ends. In this type of roots, both hypocotyl and root help in storage of food.

Answer 21

Fusiform roots

Question 22

Example of fusiform roots

Answer 22

Radish

Question 23

These roots are thicker at the upper side and tapering at the basal end.

Answer 23

Conical roots

Question 24

Example of conical roots

Answer 24

Carrot

Question 25

These roots become swollen and spherical at upper end and tapered like a thread at the lower end.

Answer 25

Napiform roots

Question 26

Example of napiform roots

Answer 26

Turnip

Question 27

Specialized root for Reproduction/ Propagation

Answer 27

Adventitious roots - roots that develop in an unusual place; formed

Question 28

Examples of plants with specialized roots for reproduction/ propagation: adventitious roots

Answer 28

Sweet Potato

Pandan

Question 29

Specialized roots for gas exchange/ aeration.

Answer 29

Pneumatophores

Question 30

Erect root that rises up above the soil or water and promotes gas exchange.

Internally filled with aerenchyma, a specialized parenchyma.
Externally has numerous pores or lentinels over their surface.

Common in plants that grow in water-logged soils

Answer 30

Pneumatophores

Question 31

Examples of plants with pneumatophores

Answer 31

Mangrove

Cypress (Cypress knees)

Question 32

Specialized roots for photosynthesis (photosynthetic roots) - can perform photosynthesis

Answer 32

Green aerial roots (with chloroplasts)

Question 33

Example of plant with photosynthetic roots

Answer 33

Epiphytic orchids

Question 34

4 specialized roots for support

Answer 34

1. Buttress roots
2. Prop/stilt roots
3. Climbing/ clinging roots
4. Brace roots

Question 35

Big roots that look like they arise from the base of the tree trunk provide additional tensil forces to resist uprooting of large tropical trees

Answer 35

Buttress roots

Question 36

Example of plant with buttress roots

Answer 36

Fig

Question 37

Large pillars like roots develop from horizontally spread branches of tree.
They grow vertically downward into the soil and support the spreading branches .
Its main function is mechanical support or pillars.

Answer 37

Prop/ stilt roots

Question 38

Examples of plants with prop/stilt roots

Answer 38

Corn
Pandan
Banyan

Question 39

These roots arising from nodes attach themselves to support and climb over it.

Answer 39

Climbing/ clinging roots

Question 40

Examples of plants with climbing/ clinging roots

Answer 40

Ivy

Question 41

Aside from the main stem. These penetrate obliquely down in to the soil and give support to the plant.

Answer 41

Brace roots

Question 42

Examples of plants with brace roots

Answer 42

Corn
Sugarcane
Pandan

Question 43

They penetrate the tissues of the host and connect to the vascular system, thus becoming part of the host pipelines. These lack most of the tissues of ordinary roots.

Answer 43

Parasitic roots

Question 44

Adventitious parasitic roots usually common in flowering plants called haustoria.

Answer 44

Haustorial roots

Question 45

Examples of plants with parasitic roots

Answer 45

Dodder

Mistletoe

Question 46

Known from 90% of plant species and are a mutualistic association of a fungus with plant root tissue.

Answer 46

Mycorrhizal roots (Mutualistic roots)

Question 47

The fungus takes place of the root hairs and may penetrate the cortex completely.

Answer 47

Endomycorrhizae

Question 48

The fungus takes place of root hairs and may remain on the surface of the root.

Answer 48

Ectomycorrhizae

Question 49

Where a symbiotic relationship forms between a plant and a fungus.

Fungus - provide protection against some types of pathogens and increase the surface area for the absorption of essential nutrients from the soil.
Plant - provides food for the fungus in the form of sugar and amino acids.

Answer 49

Mycorrhizae or “fungus roots”

Question 50

There are also associations between bacteria and roots of certain plants.

These are spherical structures at the roots of leguminous plants (e.g. peas), where nitrogen-fixing bacteria live. These bacteria convert the atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants.

Answer 50

Nodules