Plants need to be attached to the ground in order to feed and therefore grow. But, Have you ever wondered why the roots go down?that is, how do you know that you have to go in that direction?
Well, if you want to know the answer to this interesting question, you know: don’t stop reading .
We are used to seeing that plants tend to grow upwards, in search of sunlight, and that their roots penetrate the ground, as if they wanted to reach the center of the planet. As well, the tendency of stem and root growth is due to the force of gravity, a response known as geotropism.
In the specific case of the root, it is said to have positive geotropism. Why? Because it grows in the same direction as the force of gravity. Even when a seed germinates in, for example, a tupperware wrapped in a napkin, we can see that the roots intend to grow downwards, but when they cannot, they are forced to grow sideways. Within days of potting them with soil, their root system soon notices the change and begins to develop normally. But there is still more.
To the roots, usually they don’t like sunlight. If we expose them, or if they are exposed, the growth of the plants will be affected and their leaves will begin to have brown spots, as if they were dry. For this reason, they are said to present negative phototropismbecause they grow in the opposite direction to the light; on the other hand, the leaves have positive phototropism when growing in the direction of the light.
As you can see, the subject of plants is very interesting. I hope you now know why the roots go down, but if you have any questions, ask .
