Plant System

Plant System

The green parts of a plant that remains above the ground is called the shoot system. It consists of the stem, leaves, buds, flowers and fruits.

Root System

1. The non green part that remains in the soil is called the root system.
2. Root
3. The part of a plant which is below the ground (in the soil), is called root. The main functions of roots are:
   1. Roots anchor the plant to the soil.
   2. Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil.
   3. Roots also bind the soil together and prevent the washing away of soil (soil erosion) by water or wind.

Types of Root

1. Roots are mainly of two types:
   1. Tap roots – Tap root is straight tapering root which grows vertically down into the soil and gives out branches on all the sides. Tap root is the main root and the smaller, side roots are called lateral roots. Some of the plants having tap roots are : Neem, Mango, Tulsi.
   2. Fibrous roots- Some plants do not have a main root. They have bunch of similar roots called fibrous roots. The fibrous roots consist of many thin, fibre-like roots of a similar size. The fibrous roots spread out in the soil and give a firm support to the plant. e.g. grass, beans, peas, etc.
   3. 
2. Modification of Roots
3. In some plants, roots perform special functions other than absorbing water and minerals. These roots are called modified roots. e.g. turnip, carrot. The various functions of these roots are:
4. 
5. Storage of Food: Roots of some plants are swollen due to food storage which are edible in nature, for example, sweet potato, carrot, radish and turnip.
6. Additional Support: Many plants are very heavy and require additional support to stand erect. In these, additional rope like roots grow and hangs down from their branches. Some of these penetrate the soil & become as thick as the trunk of the tree. In both the cases they support the tree and are therefore, known as supporting or prop roots. The examples are sugarcane and banyan tree.
7. Illustration 4: What is a stilt root?
8. Solutions: When maize, sugarcane or crew pine plants grew taller, the lower parts of the stem produce roots called stilt roots. These roots support the plant and prevent it from tiling to one side.