Hi everyone! Apologies in advance if this isn’t the right sub, i just couldn’t find a better one. I am in college and due to make a presentation on “Plants that accumulate glucids”. Slightly baffled by this one, i managed to find some plants which may accumulate glucids. Note: yes, the word is “accumulate”, not have or anything. My interpretation of this is basically plants which have a huge content in glucids. Is this right?? Also, do you think that sweet potato fits the bill? I also picked rice as well. Thank you for any help you may give me. Cheers
So any plant accumulates glucids. I am not native in English but glucids are carbohydrates in my book. And plants accumulate carbohydrates as sugar, starch, soluble fiber but also their cell walls are made of glucids. Being cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin.
So in my eyes all plants accumulate glucids in some way or form. Sugar beets, sugar can and fruits accumulate glucose, fructose and sucrose, starchy plants accumulate glucose in form of starch and other glycans. Other plants like agave, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke accumulate fructans.
Some seaweeds accumulate fucose and mannose. Actually cranberry has got free mannose.
You will see heavy accumulation in plants that normally live 1-2 years. The sugars will be stored in a root to survive winter and grow quickly next season to flower and spread. Some others make seeds rich in sugars like grains, so the germs can grow quickly using those carbs.
Trees often accumulate mostly cellulose and hemicellulose and some pectins. Unless they bare fruits or seeds that are sugar rich.
Anyway. Maybe you look up the role of carbohydrates in plants in general. Besides being and energy storage carbs are the building blocks of most plants.