Download French Fried Roots

French Fried Roots Please!
To accompany the Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Courses in 01.464-2.1; 01.461-4.3, 11.5; 01.431-10.8, 2.1, 2.3; 01.462-2.1
If you take a look around you, you may not be surprised to
be surrounded by plants. If you are inside, you may see a few
potted plants; outside, you may notice the trees and shrubs
growing beneath the windows or around the edges of the building.
When you look at these plants, what is the first thing you notice?
More than likely, you notice the leaves and then the flowers if
it is a flowering plant. Have you ever considered what lies beneath?
Many people often overlook the most important and fundamental portion of a plant—the
roots. Because this structure is located in the soil, it is frequently neglected. Despite its
lack of recognition, roots play an integral role in the plants survival.
What exactly is a root? A root is the lower portion of a plant bearing neither leaves nor
reproductive organs. Main functions of roots include: anchoring the plant, absorbing
water and other minerals from the soil and transporting them to the stem, and storing the
food produced by the leaves.
Do we eat roots? Of course! Consider that order of French fries you ate last night along
with the hamburger. Even though you couldn’t tell, you were eating French fried roots!
Potatoes, carrots, turnips, peanuts, and beets are just a few of the common roots we eat.
Root systems consist of a primary root, secondary roots, and
root hairs. The primary root arises from the embryo and is
often short-lived. Branches of the main root are fibrous and
referred to as secondary roots. Once the primary root stops
functioning, the secondary roots, or rootlets, take over and
become the permanent roots of many monocotyledons.
Branches of the secondary roots are root hairs, specialized cell
extensions that penetrate into the openings between soil
particles. Water and soluble nutrients enter the root hairs, and
then travel through the rootlets to the main root then into the leaves and stems. When a
plant is transplanted carelessly, the plant wilts because the root hairs and their waterabsorbing cells are lost.
However, not all roots are just roots. Roots can be broken down into three basic types of
systems: taproot, storage taproot, and fibrous. Knee and aerial roots are additional types
of roots.
Taproots are distinguishable primary roots with definite rootlets. The primary root may
divide, often becoming fleshy, and penetrate deeply into the soil. Trees such as oaks and
citrus have taproots.
Written by Frank Flanders and1Jeanie Long, February 2001
Georgia Ag Ed Curriculum Office
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Storage taproots, also known as fleshy roots, are food reservoirs and retain surplus food
during the winter or undesirable periods to be utilized by the plant when it is able to
continue growth. Carrots, turnips, potatoes, and beets are all examples of storage
taproots.
Numerous fine, threadlike roots of the same kind and size originating from the base of the
stem form fibrous roots. Plants such as grasses and some shrubs have fibrous roots. The
roots of these plants grow rather shallow by spreading out near the surface of the soil
rather than growing deep like the carrot or potato.
On the other hand, aerial roots enable climbers such as Philodendrons to survive by freely
developing roots on various land and water plants, also referred to as hosts. Another
example of a plant with aerial roots is the orchid. The roots of this plant not only serve as
an anchor, but also absorb water from the air.
If you have ever visited South Georgia, then you probably have noticed "stumps" in
many of the lakes and swampy areas. As a matter of fact, these "stumps" are roots!
Many of the trees that surround ponds and swampy areas are bald cypresses. When the
water or ground prevents the tree's original roots from absorbing air, it improvises by
developing woody-knees. These knees protrude above the surface of the water to assist
the tree in receiving air.
Suggested Activity:
Create a vegetable tray with roots before class so the students can see many different
examples of roots. You may want to use some of the following roots:
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Irish potatoes
Radishes
Turnips
Peanuts
Ginger
Beets
Rutabagas
Onions
Horseradish
Parsnip
Garlic
Jerusalem artichoke
DICSUSSION QUESTIONS:
What is a root?
A root is the lower portion of a plant bearing neither leaves nor reproductive organs.
What are the different types of roots and an example of each type?
Taproots--citrus trees; storage taproots--carrots; fibrous--grass roots; aerial--orchids; knee
roots--baldcypress trees.
Written by Frank Flanders and2Jeanie Long, February 2001
Georgia Ag Ed Curriculum Office
2 of 3
What are the three main functions of roots?
The three primary functions of roots include: anchoring the plant, absorbing water and
other minerals from the soil and transporting them to the stem, and storing the food
produced by the leaves.
Why do plants wilt when transplanted?
When a plant is transplanted carelessly, the plant wilts because the root hairs and their
water-absorbing cells are lost. Water and soluble nutrients enter the root hairs, and then
travel through the rootlets to the main root then into the leaves and stems. If the root
hairs are damaged, then the plant cannot receive adequate amounts of water and nutrients.
Written by Frank Flanders and3Jeanie Long, February 2001
Georgia Ag Ed Curriculum Office
3 of 3