Sweet potato is homologous to

Options

A. Potato
B. Colocasia
C. Ginger
D. Turnip

Answer

To determine what sweet potato is homologous to, we need to understand the concept of homology in plants. Homologous structures are those that have a similar origin and structure but may serve different functions. In the case of sweet potato, we are looking for a plant that has a similar structure and function.

1. **Understanding Sweet Potato**: Sweet potato is a type of root vegetable that is specifically a storage root. This means that it has evolved to store nutrients, particularly carbohydrates, for the plant.

2. **Analyzing the Options**:
- **Potato**: This is a tuber, which is a swollen underground stem, not a root. Therefore, it is not homologous to sweet potato.
- **Colocasia**: Similar to potato, colocasia (often referred to as taro) also has edible tubers, which are underground stems. This makes it an incorrect option as well.
- **Ginger**: Ginger is a rhizome, which is also a modified stem. Thus, it does not share the same structure as sweet potato.
- **Turnip**: Turnip is a root vegetable, specifically a storage root, just like sweet potato. Both serve the function of storing food for the plant.

3. **Conclusion**: Since turnip and sweet potato are both storage roots, they are homologous to each other. Therefore, the correct answer is turnip.

**Final Answer**: Sweet potato is homologous to turnip.

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