Answer:
Food and water in roots are stored in the Cortex.
The cortex is referred as the outermost layer of root or stem in a plant which stores food in the form of starch. cortex transports materials through the process of diffusion to the central cylinder of the root.
Several features of cortex allows this function such as:
1)cortex develops into aerenchyma (a porous tissue) that contains air spaces due to the separation of the cortex cell walls.
2)Cortical cells carries chloroplasts which further helps in the process of photosynthesis and can convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates.
3) cortex cells are present beneath the epidermis which produce waterproof cells and remove woody stem or root.
4)In fleshy plants such as radish cortex is present in the area between the vascular bundles and the epidermis.
Hence, cortex is the storehouse of food and water in roots.
