The root is an underground part of the plant that absorbs water and minerals from the soil and anchors the plant firmly. In some plants, the roots change their shape and get modified to absorb and transport water and minerals from the soil to different parts of the plant. They are also modified for support, food storage, and respiration. The root modifications perform two major functions- Physiological and Mechanical. Explore more: Root System Let us have a detailed look at the modification of roots.Modifications of Tap RootsFor Food Storage In some plants, the roots become fleshy due to the absorption of food material. The aerial parts of these plants are worn out due to unfavourable conditions. When the conditions are favourable again new buds emerge either from the fleshy root or from a small bit of stem above. For eg., the taproots of carrot and turnip get swollen to store food. Depending upon their shapes, they are classified as; Conical roots are broad at the base and conical at the apex, eg., carrot Fusiform roots are swollen in the middle and tapering towards both the ends, eg., radish Napiform roots are spherical at the base and taper towards the apex, eg., turnip Tuberous roots have no specific shape. They appear thick and fleshy, eg., sweet potato Also Read: Root PressureFor better Respiration In some halophytes such as Rhizophora that grow in swampy areas, the roots emerge out of the ground and grow upwards to get oxygen for respiration. The root tips of these plants have minute pores called lenticels through which they respire.Nodulated Roots Roots of the leguminous plants are modified into root nodules which contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobium. They help in fixing the atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates and make it available to the plant.