1. Japanese gardeners regularly trim away parts of the root
system to assist in dwarfing a plant. A plant’s food is
obtained through photosynthesis in the leaves; can you
suggest why trimming the roots can cause dwarfing?
2. It was suggested that roots perceive gravity through the
root cap. Would it really matter if roots grew randomly
in the soil instead of responding to gravity?
3. From the viewpoint of the plant, can you suggest a
practical reason for branch roots originating internally
instead of at the surface?
4. When you eat a yam or a sweet potato, what kinds of
compounds and cells are you consuming?
5. Persons associated with commercial nurseries and
greenhouses often sterilize their soil by heating it to get
rid of pests, but then they have to wait for a short time
after it has cooled to use it. Why?