Which of the following is NOT a function of roots?

• A. Anchorage
• B. Absorption of water and minerals
• C. Storage
• D. Photosynthesis

Answer: (D)

Roots mainly provide anchorage, absorb water and minerals from the soil, and store carbohydrates. Photosynthesis, the process of turning light into chemical energy, happens in chlorophyll-containing tissues like leaves (and sometimes green stems). Roots are usually underground and lack light exposure and chlorophyll, so they don’t perform photosynthesis in the normal sense. That’s why photosynthesis is not a function of roots. In some unusual cases, roots may photosynthesize if they are exposed to light, but that isn’t their typical role, whereas anchorage, absorption, and storage are core root functions.