Final answer:
Certain plants like sweet potatoes have specialized 'storage roots' full of carbohydrates for energy storage. Other examples of starchy roots consumed by humans include carrots, turnips, and beets. Tubers, like potato roots, are also important storage organs but are technically modified stems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Certain plants such as sweet potatoes produce roots with extra parenchyma cells that are full of carbohydrates. These roots are called storage roots. Storage roots are specialized for storing energy in the form of starch, which is a carbohydrate. Many plants store excess sugar from photosynthesis as starch in order to have a reserve during times when photosynthesis is not possible, such as during the night or in the off-season. Some food storage roots that people consume other than sweet potatoes include carrots, turnips, and beets.
Plants like potatoes develop underground storage organs known as tubers. These are slightly different in that they are actually modified stems, rather than roots, and store carbohydrates for later growth. Tubers and storage roots both play crucial roles in the vegetative propagation of plants, survival through unfavorable seasons, and providing food for both plants and humans.
Additionally, plants tend to store starch in parts such as roots and seeds, which serve as energy sources for germination and growth. When humans consume these storage organs, enzymes break down the starch into sugars that can be absorbed by the body. Therefore, storage roots are vital both for the survival of the plant and as a nutritional resource for humans and animals.