Question

How do root hair cells help a plant?

Answer 1

Root hairs are slender projections that function in nutrient and water absorption as well as in anchoring the root in the soil, arising from epidermal cells. Since a leaf cell is a plant cell that contains photosynthesis chloroplasts that the root hair cell does not have, there are also larger vacuoles in the leaf cell and a cell wall is present.

Complete answer:
In almost all vascular plants, including angiosperms, gymnosperms, and lycophytes, root hairs are found and they exhibit similar cellular characteristics, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.

Single tubular root cells are root hair cells. Their distinctive lateral elongation increases the exchange area between the root system of the plant and the soil. The main function of root hair is the absorption of the rhizosphere's water and nutrients. Root hairs are where the absorption of water occurs. As photosynthesis is not carried out by root hair cells, they do not contain chloroplasts. In legume species, they are also specifically involved in the development of root nodules. The root hairs curl around the bacteria, allowing the development of an infection thread to form the nodule via the dividing cortical cells.

Note: With a wide surface area, the active absorption of water and minerals from root hair is highly effective. Root hair cells also secrete acid (H+ from malic acid) that exchanges and helps solubilize the minerals into ionic form, making the ions easier to absorb. When a new root hair cell forms, it excretes a toxin such that the other cells in close proximity to it will not produce either of these hairs.