What is the primary form of stored carbohydrates in plants?

The primary form of stored carbohydrates in plants is starch. Starch is a polysaccharide that serves as a major energy reserve for plants, allowing them to store glucose for use during periods when photosynthesis is not possible or when energy needs exceed what can be produced. Starch is composed of long chains of glucose molecules and can be broken down into glucose when the plant needs energy, such as during growth or seed development.

Cellulose, while another carbohydrate, serves primarily as a structural component of plant cell walls, providing rigidity and strength rather than serving as a storage form of energy. Amylose is a form of starch that consists of unbranched chains of glucose, but it is not the predominant form of carbohydrate storage across all plants. Glycogen is primarily the storage form of carbohydrates in animals and fungi, not in plants. Hence, starch is identified as the correct answer for the primary form of stored carbohydrates in plants.