Question

Is sugarcane a tap root?

Answer 1

Plant roots are the organs that lay under the soil's surface. Roots can also grow above the surface of soil or water for the sake of respiration. Roots aren't leafy, and they don't have any nodes. The apical meristem, which is found near the root's tip, regulates early root development. The root's primary purpose is to sustain the plant. Plant roots are basically of two types – the tap root and the fibrous roots.

Complete answer:
No, Sugarcane does not have tap roots.
The root system found in sugarcane is a fibrous root system.
It is made up of two types of roots: 'selt roots' and ‘shoot roots'. The root primordial (translucent dots) located at the base of every cane joint is activated and develops roots when sugarcane selt is put in the soil and covered with moist soil. These roots are called 'selt roots', and they are usually only present for a short time.

Additional information:
Fibrous root system: Fibrous roots do not have a primary root; instead, they develop from the stem base and have a bushy look. In nature, the roots are short. Fibrous roots develop horizontally in the earth. These are seen in plants with parallel venation on their leaves. In a single plant, there might be hundreds of fibrous roots.
Onion, maize, sugarcane, grass, rice, wheat etc. have a fibrous root system.

Note:
The roots of a plant serve a variety of purposes. The plant's roots hold it in place, resisting the pressures of wind, water, and mud flow. The root system absorbs oxygen, water, and nutrients from the soil and transports them to the stems, leaves, and flowers of the plant. Plants also show a wide variety of modifications in their root system which aid in different functions.