How does an onion stores its carbohydrates? Why? What part of a plant is a potato? What part of a plant is an onion?
An onion stores its carbohydrates in the form of sugars, primarily as fructans. Fructans are a type of complex sugar that can be broken down into simpler sugars when the onion requires energy for growth, reproduction, or other metabolic functions.
The reason onions store carbohydrates is to provide a readily available energy source for the plant. Carbohydrates are essential for plant growth and development, serving as a fuel for various metabolic processes. By storing carbohydrates, onions can sustain themselves during periods of dormancy or unfavorable conditions, such as cold temperatures or drought.
A potato is an enlarged underground stem known as a tuber. It is a modified part of the plant called a stolon, which is an elongated horizontal stem that grows along the ground. Stolons are specialized stems involved in vegetative reproduction, allowing the plant to produce new individuals by forming new roots and shoots at their nodes.
Onions, on the other hand, are bulbs. They consist of modified underground leaves that are densely packed together. The bulb of an onion serves as a storage organ for nutrients, particularly carbohydrates, enabling the plant to survive adverse conditions and reemerge in the following growing season.