Potato is a modified:

• A potato is a modified stem, specifically a type of underground stem called a tuber. Tubers are swollen structures that store nutrients for the plant. They have several features that distinguish them from roots:
• Presence of buds (eyes): Potatoes have multiple "eyes" on their surface. These are actually buds that can sprout and grow into new shoots. Roots lack buds.
• Nodes and internodes: Potatoes often have indentations or shallow depressions on their surface. These mark the location of nodes (where leaves attach) and internodes (spaces between nodes) – a characteristic of stems. Roots don't have these features.

🔑Key Points:
• In potato, the underground portion is a modified stem in that it stores reserve food and has all characters of stem i.e. roots and shoots appear from it and it has buds (eyes) also.
• Potato is a tuber (that part carry out photosynthesis- the green color part seen in young potato).
• It is called a modified stem as it has scaly leaves, nodes, internodes, and adventitious roots, characteristic to stems.
• Potato tuber bears buds in small pits known as eyes.
• Buds develop to branches.
• Some of the branches become green, erect, and leafy stems that grow horizontally underground.
Important Points
• Plants often modify their stems for special functions.
• These modifications can have unusual and even bizarre shapes and can grow above as well as below the ground.
• Modified stems that grow above ground: Stolons or runners are horizontally oriented stems that grow along the soil surface.