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    Plant Organs Roots

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    Muammar Khadafi
    The document discusses plant root systems and their structures and functions. It describes the main types of root systems - taproot and fibrous, and their characteristics. It explains that roots have four primary functions - absorption, anchorage, storage, and production of hormones. It also discusses specialized root structures and their functions, as well as the internal structures of roots including root hairs, the root cap, and the root apical meristem. Finally, it notes that roots often form mutualistic relationships with fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

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    Plant Organs Roots

    Uploaded by

    Muammar Khadafi
    231 views38 pages
    The document discusses plant root systems and their structures and functions. It describes the main types of root systems - taproot and fibrous, and their characteristics. It explains that roots have four primary functions - absorption, anchorage, storage, and production of hormones. It also discusses specialized root structures and their functions, as well as the internal structures of roots including root hairs, the root cap, and the root apical meristem. Finally, it notes that roots often form mutualistic relationships with fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

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    The document discusses plant root systems and their structures and functions. It describes the main types of root systems - taproot and fibrous, and their characteristics. It explains that roots have four primary functions - absorption, anchorage, storage, and production of hormones. It also discusses specialized root structures and their functions, as well as the internal structures of roots including root hairs, the root cap, and the root apical meristem. Finally, it notes that roots often form mutualistic relationships with fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    231 views38 pages

    Plant Organs Roots

    Uploaded by

    Muammar Khadafi
    The document discusses plant root systems and their structures and functions. It describes the main types of root systems - taproot and fibrous, and their characteristics. It explains that roots have four primary functions - absorption, anchorage, storage, and production of hormones. It also discusses specialized root structures and their functions, as well as the internal structures of roots including root hairs, the root cap, and the root apical meristem. Finally, it notes that roots often form mutualistic relationships with fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    The key takeaways are that plants have root systems that absorb water and nutrients from the soil to support the shoot system above ground. There are different types of root systems like taproots and fibrous roots that help plants compete for resources in different environments.

    The main types of root systems described are the taproot system, which has a thick central root with many smaller lateral roots, and the fibrous root system, which has many thin roots of similar size that branch off the stem.

    The function of root hairs is to raise the absorptive capacity of the root by increasing the surface area of the root that is in contact with moist soil, allowing it to absorb more water and nutrients.

    Plant Anatomy

    Plant Organs

    Types of Plant Organs


    Vegetative organs: Roots Leaves Stems Reproductive organs: Flowers Fruit

    Plant Body Systems


    The plant body is

    organized into a root system and a shoot system:

    Root system is generally below ground. Shoot system consists of vertical stems, leaves, flowers, & fruit that contain seeds.

    Root System

    A plants sponge and anchor

    The Root System


    Although we do not see

    much of roots, they are equally important to plant growth as stems and leaves

    Leaves collect light and CO2 to produce sugar for growth as long as the plant can get enough water and nutrients from its roots!

    Types of Root Systems


    A true root system consists of

    both primary & secondary roots (lateral roots) Primary root system: Taproot System* Fibrous Root System** Adventitious Roots**

    *Found in most dicots (flowering plants with 2 cotyledons in their seeds); Example: Peas **Found in most monocots (flowering plants with 1 cotyledon in their seeds); Example: Corn

    Primary Root System


    The 1st root to emerge

    from a seed is the radicle (primary root), which emerges to form a taproot that persists throughout the life of the plant. Many progressively smaller branch roots (lateral roots) grow from the taproot.

    Taproot System
    Definition: the root system

    consisting of a thick, central primary root, which forms many smaller lateral roots.

    Common in dicots and conifers.

    In some plants such as

    carrots and beets, fleshy taproots are the plants food pantry. In other plants such as poison ivy the long taproots are modified for reaching water deep in the ground.

    Fibrous Root System


    Definition: root system that

    consists of several to many roots of the same size that develop from the end of the stem with smaller, lateral roots branching off of them. Typically slender, small roots

    Found in monocots like onion, crabgrass, sweet potatoes, etc Form in plants in which the embryonic root is shortlived.

    Fibrous Root System


    Most fibrous roots are

    very extensive and cling to soil particles, which is why they are often used for preventing erosion. Because fibrous roots do not arise from preexisting roots but rather from the stem, they are said to be adventitious

    Adventitious Roots
    Definition: a mass of roots

    that from on organs other than roots Usually begin growing after the seed germinates They form in all sorts of places on plants including leaves, petioles, and stems.

    Adventitious Roots

    Why Different Root Types?


    Help plants compete for water and

    minerals
    Example: Prairie plants Shallow, wide-spreading fibrous roots (<15 cm deep) Medium-depth, evenly distributed fibrous roots (<1.5 m deep) Deep taproots (lack width, but go very deep)

    Root Functions

    Primary & Specialized

    Primary Root Functions


    Roots perform 4 main functions:

    Absorption/Conduction of water and dissolved minerals Anchorage Storage (carbohydrates) Production of hormones (e.g., gibberellins) & secondary plant compounds (e.g., nicotine in tobacco plants)

    Some specialized roots are

    modified for other functions .

    Specialized Roots
    Prop roots Aerial roots Strangling roots Contractile roots Parasitic roots

    (haustoria) Storage roots Buttress roots Pneumatophores

    Prop or Stilt Roots


    Help to stabilize and

    support the plant. Examples: Ficus Corn

    Aerial Roots
    Absorb water from

    the air; may also be photosynthetic


    Examples: Orchids Poison ivy

    Anchor plant to the

    soil and support the tree


    Example: Banyan tree

    Strangling Roots
    Help the plants to

    climb up another tree to get to sunlight; eventually will strangle the host plant (parasitic)
    Example: Fig

    Contractile Roots
    Pull the plant shoot

    closer to the ground or deeper into the soil where the soil is relatively warm, helping plants survive variable early spring weather

    Example: Dandelion

    Parasitic Roots (Haustoria)


    Penetrate the stems &

    roots of host plant to obtain water, minerals, and organic molecules


    Examples: Mistletoe Devils Dodder

    Storage Roots
    Store water & food
    Examples: Carrot Radish Beet Turnip Parsnip Rutabaga

    Buttress Roots
    Stabilize plants in

    thin soil & prevent uprooting

    Common in tropical plants (e.g., ficus)

    Pneumatophores (air roots)


    Supply oxygen to

    plants growing in swamps where water may be deoxygenated


    Examples: Cypress trees Mangrove trees

    Root Structure

    Intimately related to root function

    Primary Structure of a Root


    Relates to obtaining water

    and dissolved minerals Cross-section shows that roots consist of cylinders: Epidermis--protection Cortex--storage of starch Vascular tissue (stele) transport of water & food

    Monocot vs. Dicot Root

    External Root Structure


    Branch roots Root hairs Root tip (root cap

    and apical meristem)

    Branch Roots
    Also known as lateral roots or

    feeder roots when they are young Decrease in age from the soil surface to the root tip Youngest roots occur closer to the root tip Soil texture influences root branching: Plants that must grow through hard, dry soil have fewer branch roots than those in moist, loose soil.

    Root hairs
    Definition: short-lived,

    single-celled extensions of epidermal cells near the growing root tip.


    Form in the region of maturation Short, but numerous

    Function: raise

    absorptive capacity of the root by increasing surface area of the root that is in contact with moist soil.

    Root cap
    Definition: a protective

    thimble-like layer many cells thick that covers the delicate root apical meristem As the root grows and pushes its way through the soil, parenchyma cells of the root cap slough off and are replaced by new cells

    Root cap
    The root cap consists of

    two types of cells:


    Columella cells Peripheral cells

    Columella cells Peripheral cells

    Columella cells
    Elongate cells that

    contain 15-30 amyloplasts that sediment in response to gravity to the lower side of the cell.

    Many botanists think this is how plant roots perceive gravity.

    Peripheral cells
    Columella cells differentiate

    into peripheral cells within 2-3 days, which surround the columella cells.

    Thousands of these cells are shed from the cap as the plant pushes through the soil.

    Peripheral cells secrete

    large amounts of mucigel a slimy substance with many functions


    Mucigel Peripheral cells

    Mucigel
    A hydrated polysaccharide

    containing sugars, organic acids, vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids. Functions: Protection from other plants roots Lubrication lubricates roots as they move through the ground Water absorption help maintain the connection between roots and water for a continuous flow Nutrient absorption helps take in nutrients through intake of water

    Root apical Meristem


    Regions of growth

    and development Located in the coneshaped root tip Divided into 3 regions:

    Region of division
    (grow & divide)

    Zone of elongation
    (differentiation)

    (enlarge & specialize)

    Zone of maturation

    Roots Have Cooperative Relationships with Others


    Roots often form mutualistic

    (beneficial) relationships with other organisms:

    Mycorrhizae: mutualistic associations between plant roots and soil fungi; Plants gain increased absorption of minerals and dont need to produce as many root hairs; also fungi may protect against diseasecausing fungi & worms. (Fungus gets food.) Occurs in 80% of plants.

    Roots Have Cooperative Relationships with Others

    Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria: Bacteria can convert nitrogen gas from the air into ammonium, which is incorporated into various organic molecules, which plants can take up. Only way for plants to get useable nitrogen. Root nodules (see pictures to the right) are the homes of bacteria in the plants.

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