How is the growing rot tip protected from damage as it moves through the soil?

Question

So yea basicallly that

Answer 1

It is protected by a root cap.

As the apical part of the root ( Root tip) finds its way through

the soil ; it is the root cap tissue that bears the brunt of the

friction with the soil particles and the main root apex remains

safe.

Due to that friction , the tissue of the root-cap is destroyed ,

but it( root-cap) has ability to regenerate itself and new cells

are constantly being produced.

At the tip of every growing root is a conical covering of tissue called the root cap.

It usually is not visible to the naked eye.

It consists of undifferentiated soft tissue (parenchyma) with unthickened walls covering the apical meristem.

The root cap provides mechanical protection to the meristem cells as the root advances through the soil, its cells worn away but quickly replaced by new cells generated by cell division within the meristem.

The root cap is also involved in the production of mucigel, a sticky mucilage that coats the new formed cells.

These cells contain statoliths, starch grains that move in response to gravity and thus control root orientation.



Click the link to see photos-
http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/488/500119/FG31_13FR.JPG
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/summer2002/rootanatomy.jpg

http://www.nature.com/emboj/journal/v18/n8/images/7591633f5.jpg

http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/mauseth/weblab/webchap6apmer/web6.8-4a.jpg
In the above link the cap is pale green and the root apex is red.

Answer 2

The tip of the root is provided with a helmet like structure called root-cap which protects from damage.

Answer 3

growing root tip, secretes special enzyme that is very distastful and noxious to both prey and predator

Answer 4

by doing its own homework.