Question

Sweet potato is homologous to
A. Ginger
B. Turnip
C. Potato
D. Colocasia

Answer 1

Hint: Evolution is the changes that an organism adapted due to environmental condition, natural selection, and other factors. The organism undergoes many physiological changes and to determine the relation between them many parameters were set.

Complete Answer:
Homologous is the structural study that has similar embryonic origin and analogous is the study of organs that have similar function. Both the terms are used to determine the organisms that are closely related to each other but due to evolution they have adapted some of the minor genetic changes that make morphological differences between them some of the organisms that are not related to one another are distantly related due to environmental conditions.

For example; the frog and humans forelimbs and hindlimbs have identical anatomical structures but perform the different functions human forelimbs get evolved and help to perform different tasks while frog forelimbs help to move and sit. Human forelimbs provide support for running, walking, and jumping. While the frogs’ hindlimbs are muscular that allows them to jump and swim. Therefore, the structures that are similar in structure of two organisms but have different functions are termed as homologous organs.

Now, sweet potatoes and turnip are root modifications. Sweet potato is an adventitious root that involves in store food materials, the tuberous root is tapered and long and turnip is a tap root. Both comprise different structures but the function is the same and are termed as homologous. Potato, ginger, and colocasia are underground stems that are modified from storage of food.

Hence, the correct answer is ‘B’. Turnip.

Note: We have observed that insects have wings like birds and bats, they all use wings to fly but the shape and structure of the wings are not similar, this is an example of analogous organs; the function of the body part is the same but the structure is different.