Question

Tuberous roots of sweet potato play an important role in

• A. Mechanical support
• B. Food storage
• C. Reproduction and food storage
• D. Respiration

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Reproduction and food storage

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. A tuberous root or storage root is a modified lateral root, enlarged to function as a storage organ. The enlarged area of the storage root can be produced at the end or middle of a root or involve the entire root. It is thus, different in origin but similar in function and appearance to a stem tuber. The tuberous root of sweet potato plays an important role in reproduction as well. Tuberous roots are biennial in duration, the first year the plant produces root-tubers, and at the end of the growing season, the plant shoots often die, leaving the newly generated tubers. The next growing season, the root-tubers produce new shoots. As the shoots of the new plant grow, the stored reserves of the root-tuber are consumed in the production of new roots, stems and reproductive organs.
Thus, the correct answer is option C.