TOPIC 7:

Plant Organs:
Roots
 Most Anchoring
roots have the plant
three firmly to a
functions: substrate

Concepts Absorbing
Producing
water and
hormones
minerals

2
Other root functions:

• Fleshy taproots are the plant’s main site of

carbohydrate storage during winter.

• Some roots spread horizontally and produce shoot

buds that grow and act as new plants.

• In some palms, roots grow from the trunk and

harden into sharp spines.
Other root functions:

• Vines have modified roots that act as holdfasts on

rock or brick.

• Parasitic flowering plants use modified roots to get

nutrients and water from host plants.
External
Structure of
Roots
Taproot system
• A single large taproot that
develops from the radicle
(embryonic root).
• Radicle may develop into thick
taproot with thinner branch
roots
• Most seed plants have this root
system
Fibrous root system
• A mass of many similarly sized
roots
• Most monocots and some
eudicots have this root system
Adventitious roots
• They do not arise in “pre-
existing roots” of from
radicle
• Increase the absorptive
and transport capacities
Secondary growth

• Many eudicots undergo

secondary growth.

o This increases the amount of wood

(xylem) in both the trunk and roots.

o This permits an increase in the

number of leaves and absorptive
roots.
Structure of
individual
roots
Structure of roots
• Roots grow from an apical
meristem at the tip.
• The root apical meristem is
protected by the root cap.
• Just behind the root cap and root
apical meristem is a short zone of
elongation.
• These cells undergo division and
expansion.
Structure of roots (contd.)
• The root hair zone is a region in
which many of the epidermal cells
extend out as narrow trichomes.
o Increase the root’s surface area.

• New lateral roots emerge behind

the root hair zone.
o Lateral roots may occur in rows or
appear to be randomly distributed on
the parent root.
Internal
structure of
roots
Root Cap
• The root cap layer closest to the root meristem is
meristematic.
o Forms files of cells that are pushed forward.
o Cells on the edge grow toward the side and proliferate.
o Thimble-shaped mass of parenchyma cells covering each root
tip

• Maturing cells detect gravity using starch grains.

Root Cap (contd.)
• Close to the edge of the cap, the
cell’s dictyosomes secrete mucigel.

o The middle lamella breaks down and

releases cells.

o They are usually crushed by expansion

of the root.

o Protects tissues from damage as root

grows
Apical Meristem
• Root apical meristem is the
source of regular files of
cells.
o They extend into the regions
of mature root tissues.
o There is a mitotically inactive
central region known as the
quiescent center.
o It can replace the apical
meristem if it becomes
damaged.
Root Structure

• Can be divided into three

regions/zones.

• Region of Cell Division

• Region of Elongation

• Region of Maturation
Region of Cell Division

• Composed of apical meristem in the center of root

tip

• Subdivided into 3 meristematic areas:

o Protoderm - Gives rise to epidermis
o Ground meristem - Gives rise to cortex and pith
o Procambium - Gives rise to primary xylem and primary
phloem
Region of Elongation

• The region beyond the meristematic region.

o Here, cells are enlarging.
o Nuclei become less distinct.
o Protoderm, provascular tissue, and ground tissue begin to
differentiate.
o No cells are yet mature.
Region of Maturation

• a.k.a root hair zone, is marked by the production of

root hairs growing outward.
o This increases absorption of water and minerals.
o Adhere tightly to soil particles
o Increase total absorptive surface of root

• Tissues are differentiated.

o Cortex cells transfer minerals from the epidermis to the
vascular tissue.
Region of Maturation (contd.)
• The innermost layer of cortical
cells differentiates into a cylinder
called the endodermis.

o The radial walls of the endodermis

are encrusted with waterproof lignin
and suberin.

o These Casparian strips are involved in

controlling the minerals that enter
the xylem.
Region of Maturation (contd.)

• Casparian strips are involved in controlling the

minerals that enter the xylem.
o Minerals can cross the endodermis only if endodermal
protoplasts absorb them.
o From the cortex apoplast or the symplast.

• They then secrete them into the vascular tissues.

Vascular System
• A cylinder of tissue, interior to the
cortex, forms the stele.
• It consists of both the xylem and
the phloem in the center.
• Xylem is in the center of the stele.
• The phloem surrounds the xylem.
• No pith is present.
Vascular System (contd.)
• Within the xylem, the inner
wide cells are metaxylem
and outer narrow cells are
protoxylem.
• Within phloem strands the
protophloem occurs on the
outer side and the
metaphloem occurs on the
inner side.
Vascular Cylinder
• Vascular cylinder - Core of
tissues inside endodermis
o Pericycle - Outer boundary of
vascular cylinder

• Continues to divide, even

after mature
• Forms lateral (branch) roots
and part of the vascular a region in dicot root
cambium
The arrangement Large vessels
and separate A pith is
of tissue within
bundles of present.
the stele differs
for monocots. phloem.
Mature portions of roots:
• Root hairs function only for several days.
• In the endodermis, more suberin and lignin are laid
over the radial and tangential surfaces.
• Endodermal cells that are slow to mature and have
only the Casparian strip are called passage cells.
• The mature, watertight endodermis keeps water in
the vascular cylinder of a mature root.
Mature portions of roots: (contd.)
• Shortly after the root hairs die, underlying cortex
and epidermis often die.
• They are shed from the root.

• The endodermis becomes the root surface until a

bark can form.
• The large fibrous roots of many monocots are:
• Strictly annual
• Completely replaced by more adventitious roots
Specialized
Roots
Storage roots
• Storage roots provide long-term storage for carbohydrates
that accumulate during summer photosynthesis.
o Biennials and perennials store nutrients during the
winter.
o Roots are less visible as food for foragers.
o Roots’ environment is more stable than aboveground
parts.
o Sweet Potatoes
Pneumatophores

• Present in plants with roots

growing in water.

• Spongy roots that extend above

the water’s surface and enhance
gas exchange between
atmosphere and subsurface roots
Prop roots

• Prop roots are adventitious roots that can grow

extensively through the air.

o Additional nutrients and water to the stem.

o Stabilize stems.

o Brace them against wind and water currents.

Buttress roots

• Stability in shallow soil

• Tropical Trees
Aerial roots

• Aerial roots of orchids have a specialized epidermis

called a velamen.

o Many orchids are epiphytic.

o They grow on trees, with roots dangling in the air.

o The waterproof velamen prevents water loss if the air

becomes dry.
Contractile roots
• These roots are important for stability and depth
control.

o Prop roots can undergo considerable contraction.

o Root contraction may be important in anchoring newly

germinated seeds.

o Bulbs and corms use contractile roots to change their

depth in the soil.
Mycorrhizae

• Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between

the roots of seed plants and soil fungi.
• Fungi gain carbohydrates from the roots.
• Fungal hyphae added in phosphorus uptake.
• There are two types of associations:
o Ectomycorrhizal
o Endomycorrhizal
Ectomycorrhizal

• Fungal cells
penetrate
between the
outermost root
cortex cells but
never penetrate
the cell wall.
• Typically woody
species.
Endomycorrhizal
• Fungal cells penetrate the
root cortex and cell walls but
not the plasma membrane.
• The fungus is unable to live
without these sugars.
• Often the plant becomes
stunted without the fungus,
probably due to phosphorus
deficiency.
Root Nodules
• Found in a small number of
plants, especially legumes, a
symbiotic relationship has
evolved with nitrogen-fixing
bacteria of the genus
Rhizobium.
• The scarcity of nitrogenous
compounds in the soil is a
growth-limiting factor.
Root Nodules (contd.)
• Rhizobium infects the host
root hair.
• Triggers the cells of the
cortex to divide and
produce a root nodule.
o Rhizobium gets an oxygen-
free atmosphere and sugars.

o Legume gets nitrogenous

compounds.
Haustorial roots

• Highly modified roots of

parasitic plants.

• Haustorial roots are modified

to:
o Attach the parasite to the host.
o Penetrate the host vascular
tissue.
Haustorial roots (contd.)
• The haustoria penetrates the epidermis and cortex
then continues until it makes contact with the host’s
xylem.
o A continuous vessel from host
to parasite forms, constructed of cells of both.
o Parasites that only attack the xylem photosynthesize.
o Others that do not photosynthesize also attack
the phloem.
Human Relevance of Roots
• Sources of food
o Carrots, sugar beets, turnips, horseradishes, cassava (tapioca),
yams, sweet potatoes
• Spices
o Sassafras, sarsaparilla, licorice
• Dyes
o mahogany (red)
o talisay (black and yellow)
o narra (brown)
Human Relevance of Roots
• Drugs
o Aconite, ipecac, gentian, reserpine

• Insecticide
o Rotenone

reserpine
end.