Why do potatoes grow eyes?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Buds for new plant growth
Eyes absorb soil nutrients — Wrong. Eyes aren't for nutrient absorption—roots do that. Eyes are buds that can sprout new plants when conditions are right.
Buds for new plant growth ✓ — Correct! Potato 'eyes' are actually dormant buds (nodes) on the tuber, which is a modified underground stem. Each eye can sprout into a new potato plant. This is vegetative reproduction—the tuber stores energy (starch) for the sprout. That's why old potatoes sprout—the eyes are activating!
Waste removal openings — Wrong. Eyes aren't waste openings. They're growth buds—specialized structures that can develop into new shoots, making the potato a stem, not a root.