FACULTY BIOSOURCES AND FOOD INDUSTRY UNIVERSITY SULTAN ZAINAL ABIDIN

ABT101103:
AGRICULTURAL BOTANY
ASSIGNMENT COVER
NAME : MUHAMMAD NUR IMAN BIN MOHD ZAID
MATRIC NUMBER : 077216
TITLE : BELOW AND ABOVE GROUND STEM ADAPTION
DATE : 16 DECEMEBER 2023
LECTURER’S NAME : DR MOHAMED MONERUZZAMAN KHANDAKER
INTRODUCTION
In the stem is a vital organ of a plant that serves multiple functions. It is the main
structural axis of the plant, providing support for leaves, flowers, and fruits. Stems
also facilitate the transport of water, nutrients, and sugars between different parts of
the plant. In addition to their supportive and transport roles, stems often house
vascular tissues, including xylem and phloem, essential for fluid movement within the
plant.

Stems come in various forms, such as herbaceous stems in non-woody plants and
woody stems in trees and shrubs. They can grow above or below ground, adapting to
the plant's specific needs and environment. Understanding the structure and functions
of stems is fundamental to comprehending plant physiology and ecology.
RESULTS
A) Stem Part
NO PARTS FUNCTIONS
i. Twig Surface Parts
1. Bud an immature shoot
2. Internode A section or region of stem between
nodes
3. Leaf scar A mark indicating former place of
attachment of petiole or leaf base
4. Lentical a pore in batrk, as breathing pores
for gas exchange
5. Node Region of stem from which a leaf,
leaves, or branches arise
6. Prickle A sharp-pointed out-growth from the
epidermis or cortex of any organ
7. Stipular scar A mark indicating former place of
attachment of stipule
8. Terminal bud scale rings Several marks in a ring indicating
former places of attachment within
the the leaf scar of the vascular
bundle or trace
ii. Major stem parts
9. Vascular bundle or trace scar A mark indicating former place of
attachment within the leaf scar of the
vascular bundle or trace
10. Bark Tissues of plant outside wood or
xylem
11. Pith Centremost tissues of stem, usually,
soft, Not always visible on older
wood
12. Wood Xylem consisting of vessels and
tracheid, fibers and parenchyma cells
B) Above Ground Stem

C) Under Ground Stem

DISCUSSION
Stems are a part of the shoot system of a plant. They may range in length from a few
millimeters to hundreds of meters, and also vary in diameter, depending on the plant
type. Stems are usually above ground, although the stems of some plants, such as the
potato, also grow underground. Stems may be herbaceous (soft) or woody in nature.
Their main function is to provide support to the plant, holding leaves, flowers and buds;
in some cases, stems also store food for the plant. A stem may be unbranched, like that
of a palm tree, or it may be highly branched, like that of a magnolia tree. The stem of
the plant connects the roots to the leaves, helping to transport absorbed water and
minerals to different parts of the plant. It also helps to transport the products of
photosynthesis, namely sugars, from the leaves to the rest of the plant.
Explanation about the above ground stem are rather than expending energy on
developing a trunk, certain plants produce long, flexible climbing branches for their
above-ground stem that cling to and wrap around other plants or structures, forming
vines. Tendrils are stems that resemble threads and attach to surfaces (Figure 2.2). Items
to support and anchor vines as they expand but they can also originate from petioles or
leaves. The other example is stolons (Figure 2.1), which are horizontal stems that grow
above ground and are elongated and slender. They are also referred to as runners. There
are two varieties of solons: ascendant and descendant. Repentant stolons have roots at
nodes on the stem that touch the ground, but ascending stolons do not. Plantlets are
separated from their parent plant and develop at rooted nodes along the stolon as a
technique of propagation. Similar to stolon, rhizomes grow horizontally at or beneath
the soil's surface. They can include since they serve as the plant's storage organs, they
are thicker and more meaty than stolons.

For underground stem, stem tubers (Figure 2.3) are underground bulbous modified
stems. Throughout the winter, the tuber grows underground to store nutrients for
survival and reproduction in anticipation of future growth seasons. Tubers that are
growing underground are connected to the parent stem by stolons, which are new stem-
like offshoots. Stem tubers are characterized by leafy plants, a high starch content, and
a tendency to grow toward the soil's surface. Among the edible tubers are yams,
potatoes, jicama, and sunchokes. Similar to bulbs in appearance, corms are underground
stems that store food; however, bulbs store food in modified leaves, which are the
subject of the next session. The flesh of corms is solid rather than layered when cut
through, yet they are protected from the elements by thin, papery modified leaves.
Plants that yield include gladiolus, taro, and crocus. Even while the plant stores food in
the corm as a defense against hunger, drought, or cold, humans cultivate some plants
specifically for the purpose of harvesting the corm as a starchy vegetable. One of the
first plants to be grown is thought to have been taro. Corms can be found underground
or basal stems, which help plants withstand heat, cold, and drought by storing
CONCLUSION
Basically, numerous plants have modified their stems to fulfill a range of functions,
such as photosynthesis, support, storage, protection, propagation, and perennation.
Modifications aid in survival and adaptation. The germination seed's plumule
transforms into stems. Among other things, it produces flowers, fruits, and leaves. An
identifiable feature of a stem is its internodes and nodes. The main functions of the stem
are to conduct food, water, and minerals and to support the other parts of the plant.
Certain plants undergo aerial, subaerial, and subterranean transformations in their
stems. They have been modified to carry out tasks that are often unrelated to the stem.

REFERENCE
1. https://www.ck12.org/c/biology/stem-types/lesson/stem-types-advanced-bio-
adv/#:~:text=In%20most%20vascular%20plants%2C%20stems,and%20the%20struct
ures%20they%20bear.
(Stem types)
2.
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Botany/Introduction_to_Botany_(Shipunov)/05
%3A_Tissues_and_Organs_-
_How_the_Plant_is_Built/5.04%3A_The_Stem#:~:text=and%20grows%20continuous
ly.-,Morphology%20of%20the%20Stem,by%20the%20type%20of%20phyllotaxis.
(Stem meaning)
3. https://huntington.org/educators/learning-resources/survival-through-
adaptation/plant-parts-
patterns/stems#:~:text=The%20stem%20transports%20water%20and,leaves%2C%20f
lowers%2C%20and%20fruits.
(Stem function)
4.
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_
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(Stem modification)