taproot
1
6.7
- noun
- /ˈtæpˌruːt/
- Specialized
:
raíz pivotante
- The dandelion's taproot grows deep into the soil, making it difficult to remove from gardens.
- a long taproot
- a deep taproot
- a thick taproot
Examples
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It seems that most U.S.-grown alfalfa varieties have a long, main root—called a taproot—that grows deep into the soil.
Academic text (2003) -
If the taproot of a plant is disturbed, it can affect the entire growth of the plant.
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Also, weed growth was reduced, and the main taproot was half the normal length.
Academic text (1994) -
After that, that taproot is going to form little offshoots.
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Now I know that they form just a super strong taproot and I thought I killed it, but it's doing amazingly well.
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Cotton taproots were from 40 to 70 percent larger.
Academic text (1995) -
By conducting field trials over a 5-year period, ARS researchers were able to identify alfalfa plants with either a deep taproot or a highly branched root system.
Academic text (1997) -
In addition, papaya trees lack an anchoring taproot, so whole orchards are vulnerable to being flattened by the 30- to 40-mile-an-hour winds that blow in from the Pacific.
Academic text (2004) -
Many plants benefit from a strong taproot, which helps them access water and nutrients from deep underground.
How Deep
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Taproot is formed from the words tap and root; think of tap like when you 'tap' a tree or a barrel to draw water or sap from deep inside, so a taproot is the deep main root that reaches down for water and gives the plant its strength.