Question

A piece of potato tuber with an eye produces a new plant while another piece without an eye does not. Give reasons.

Answer 1

Tubers:

1. Tubers are the thickened structures formed out of a modified stem formed underground in a particular plant.
2. It bears eyes that resemble the axillary buds present at the nodes of the stem.
3. These eyes or buds are meristematic in nature and have the capacity to form a new plant shoot which grows to form stem, leaves, and flowers.
4. Thus, a piece of potato without an eye does not have the capacity to form new plants.