Aarav's mother bought a sack of potatoes because she planned to prepare several potato dishes for a family get-together. But the party got cancelled, so she stored the potatoes in a dark corner of the kitchen. After 2 weeks, Aarav noticed that several potatoes had developed small outgrowths that looked like tiny horns. Curious, he asked his mother if the potatoes have "gone bad". His mother told him that the potatoes have sprouted and they are actually starting to grow new plants from these outgrowths. This is a type of vegetative reproduction and these outgrowths are called buds or new shoots.

(a) Potatoes are underground, swollen parts of a plant. Do you consider them as root, fruit or stem ? Give reason in support of your answer.

(b) Aarav decided to plant one of the sprouted potatoes in the garden. Before planting, he cut the potato into smaller pieces. Will each piece grow into a new plant ? What must each piece contain in order to grow into a new plant ?

(c) Which of the following plants does not undergo vegetative propagation ?

(i) Ginger
(ii) Sugarcane
(iii) Mango
(iv) Strawberry

(a) Potatoes are modified stems, not roots or fruits because they have “eyes” (buds) on their surface, and buds are a characteristic feature of stems. These buds can sprout into new shoots, which shows that potato is an underground stem (specifically, a tuber).

(b) Not every piece of the cut potato will grow into a new plant. Each piece must contain at least one “eye” (bud). The bud has meristematic tissue that can develop into a new shoot and eventually form a complete plant. Pieces without eyes cannot grow.

(c) Ginger, sugarcane and strawberry undergo vegetative propagation. Ginger reproduces by its rhizome, sugarcane by stem cuttings, and strawberry by runners.

Mango, however, is usually propagated through seeds. Therefore, it does not naturally undergo vegetative propagation like the other plants given in the options.