Roots

Plant organ systems

ROOTS
In vascular plants, the root is
the organ of a plant that
typically lies below the surface
of the soil, this are plant organs
that function in anchorage and
in absorption of water and
minerals.
RADICLE
 radicle is the
embryonic root
of the plant,
and grows
downward in
the soil
What are the primary functions
of roots?
MONOCOT DICOT
 Types of Roots

In some plants, the primary

root grows long and thick and
is called a taproot.

Fibrous roots branch to such

an extent that no single root
grows larger than the rest.
Fibrous and taproot systems
 Types of Roots
A carrot is an example of a taproot.

Taproot Fibrous Roots

 Types of Roots

Fibrous roots
are found in
grasses.

Fibrous Roots
ANATOMY OF A ROOT
 When dissected, the arrangement of the
cells in a root is root hair, epidermis,
cortex, endodermIs, pericycle, and lastly
the vascular tissue in the center of a root
to transport the water absorbed by the
root to other places of the plant.
Root structure
Root cap

 Parenchyma
 Mucigel
 Perception of
gravity
Dicot root, l.s.

 Region of cell division

 Region of elongation
Region of
maturation
 Xylem

Phloem Endodermis
Endodermis regulates mineral
absorption
Endodermis Pericycle
 Root Structure and Growth

Roots contain
cells from dermal,
vascular, and
ground tissue.
 Root Structure and Growth

A mature root has an outside layer, the

epidermis, and a central cylinder of
vascular tissue.
Between these two tissues lies a large
area of ground tissue.
The root system plays a key role
in water and mineral transport.
 Root Structure and Growth

The root’s surface is

covered with cellular
projections called
Root
root hairs. Root hairs hairs

provide a large
surface area through
which water can
enter the plant.
 Root Structure and Growth
Epidermis
The
epidermis
(including
root hairs)
protects the
root and
absorbs
water.
 Root Structure and Growth

Inside the
epidermis is Ground
tissue
(cortex)
a layer of
ground
tissue called
the cortex.
 Root Structure and Growth

The cortex extends Endodermis

to another layer of
cells, the
endodermis.

The endodermis
completely
encloses the
vascular cylinder.
 Root Structure and Growth

The vascular
cylinder is the
central region
of a root that
includes the Vascular
cylinder
Phloem
Xylem
xylem and
phloem.
 Root Structure and Growth

Roots grow in
length as their
apical meristem
produces new cells
near the root tip.

Apical meristem
 Root Structure and Growth

These new cells

are covered by the
root cap that
protects the root
as it forces its way
through the soil. Apical meristem
Root cap
ROOT GROWTH
 Early root growth is one of the functions of
the apical meristem located near the tip
of the root. The meristem cells more or less
continuously divide, producing more
meristem, root cap cells (these are
sacrificed to protect the meristem), and
undifferentiated root cells. The latter
become the primary tissues of the root,
first undergoing elongation, a process that
pushes the root tip forward in the growing
medium. Gradually these cells
differentiate and mature into specialized
cells of the root tissues.
 Roots will generally grow in any direction
where the correct environment of air,
mineral nutrients and water exists to meet
the plant's needs. Roots will not grow in
dry soil. Over time, given the right
conditions, roots can crack foundations,
snap water lines, and lift sidewalks. At
germination, roots grow downward due
to gravitropism
 Growth from apical meristems is known as
primary growth, which encompasses all
elongation. Secondary growth
encompasses all growth in diameter
SPECIALIZED ROOTS
Adventitious roots arise out
of sequence from the more
usual root formation of
branches of a primary root,
and instead originate from the
stem, branches, leaves, or old
woody roots
Aerating roots (or
knee root or knee or
pneumatophores or
Cypress knee): roots
rising above the
ground, especially
above water
Pneumatophores
Aerial roots
Aerial roots
roots entirely
above the ground,
such as in ivy
(Hedera) or in
epiphytic orchids.
They function as
prop roots, as in
maize or anchor
roots
 Coarse roots Roots
that have undergone
secondary thickening
and have a woody
structure. These roots
have some ability to
absorb water and
nutrients, but their main
function is transport and
to provide a structure to
connect the smaller
diameter, fine roots to
the rest of the plant.
Haustorial
roots roots of
parasitic plants
that can absorb
water and
nutrients from
another plant,
such as in
mistletoe
(Viscum album)
Storage
roots these
roots are
modified for
storage of
food or water
Specialized roots
 Storage roots
 Surface roots: These
proliferate close below
the soil surface,
exploiting water and
easily available nutrients.
Where conditions are
close to optimum in the
surface layers of soil, the
growth of surface roots is
encouraged and they
commonly become the
dominant roots.
Prop roots
Prop roots
Mycorrhizae
A mutualistic
fungal
association with
roots
Root nodules
Root nodules
Parasitic roots

 Witchweed
Parasitic roots
 Oscula of witchweed (Striga sp.)
Herbal medications
Ginger