Question

1. Can a plant directly absorb food and nutrients, if it's roots are cut off? 2. Does the root tip of the plant help in absorption of nutrients? Won't the root hair help?Therefore why on cutting root tip will a plant not be able to absorb nutrients sufficiently?

Answer 1

Answer:

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1) Can a plant directly absorb food and nutrients, if it's roots are cut off?

answer-Processes. Plants take up essential elements from the soil through their roots and from the air (mainly consisting of nitrogen and oxygen) through their leaves. Nutrient uptake in the soil is achieved by cation exchange, wherein root hairs pump hydrogen ions (H+) into the soil through proton pumps.

2) Does the root tip of the plant help in absorption of nutrients? Won't the root hair help?Therefore why on cutting root tip will a plant not be able to absorb nutrients sufficiently?

answer- At the very tip, the root cap protects the rapidly dividing cells known as the meristematic region or meristem (zone of cell division). ... Root hairs greatly increase the root surface area and therefore increase the ability of a plant to absorb water and nutrients.

When a plant grows from a seed, the first root that comes out of the seed is called the taproot. The main function of the taproot is to give stability to the plant and that is why it grows deep down into the ground. The taproot has small fibrous roots on it which absorbs water and nutrients from the soil till the plant grows well. Once the taproot has grown enough and the plant is stable, then lot of secondary and fibrous roots start growing from the sides and base of the plant. Once the plant has grown sufficiently, then it is these secondary and fibrous roots that absorb water and nutrients form the soil. The work of the taproot is now over.

So even if the taproot is cut, nothing will happen to the plant and the plant will continue to survive and grow. In bonsai, most of the thick roots including the taproot are cut so that the tree can be planted in a small container. From these cut roots, new fibrous roots start growing supplying water and nutrients to the plant.

To summarise, taproot is useful only during the intial stages of the growth of the plant. Once the plant has grown sufficiently and is stable, there is no use for the taproot as the fibrous roots take over the function of suppling water and nutrients to the plant. Hence even if the taproot is cut, the plant will survive and continue to grow.

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