In an onion or potato cell, would there be chloroplast? and if yes, could you see them under a microscope?

Question

Onions and potatoes are both root plants, right? And chloroplasts are for turning sunlight into energy, so since there's no sun underground does that mean there are no chloroplasts in onions and potato cells?

They both have parts like shoots and leaves that are above ground, so I guess the chloroplasts are in those parts instead?

Please tell me if my thinking is correct or explain if it's not.

Thank you!

Answer 1

You are absolutely right! Chloroplasts are only found in plant parts that are exposed to sunlight. Maintaining chloroplasts in plant parts that don't receive sunlight would simply be too wasteful of energy. Good job!

Answer 2

Photo of chloroplast in onion root cells
http://encarta.msn.com/media_461555780_761572911_-1_1/Chloroplasts_in_Onion_Root_Cells.html
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557269/Chloroplast.html
They may not need the chloroplasts to process light but they do need amyloplasts a kind of plastid that stores starch. Plastids are not just assembled within a cell rather they all develop from a small, clear, stem plastid called a proplastid. They divide from their own fission as the cell divides so every plant cell carries these undifferentiated organelles. All the proplastid needs is exposure to light to differentiate into a chloroplast. The o
uter layers of an onion bulb, which are leaves not a part of the roots, will show green and elongate into new leaves.
http://www.backyardnature.net/stemtype.htm
The same is true of potatoes. They also will show green skin with exposure to light.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1973.tb04394.x

As long as the tuber and bulb remain concealed from a light sourse they will not develope the plastids into chloroplasts.

Answer 3

Yes you would find many chloroplasts in the shoot tips.
You would, however, need an electron microscope to take an electron micrograph in order to see them.

Answer 4

I absolutely refuse under ANY circumstance(s), to worship a false-god.