Water is essential for various plant functions such as transportation, support, photosynthesis, cooling, and maintaining turgor pressure
Regulatory Mechanisms
Plants have mechanisms to regulate water balance, including active responses and structural adaptations
Root Systems
Plants have different root systems like fibrous roots in grasses and tap roots in dicots for water absorption and balance
Root Growth and Adaptation
Roots are dynamic and responsive to soil conditions, modifying based on water potential and nutrient distribution
Absorption Process
Water is absorbed through root hairs passively via osmosis and facilitated diffusion, driven by the water potential gradient
Water Potential Gradient
The difference in water potential between soil water and root cells drives water movement into roots for absorption
Lack of available water
Can lead to water stress in plants, triggering responses like root elongation and osmotic adjustment
Waterlogging
Can cause oxygen deprivation in plants, leading to root damage, wilting, and the development of adventitious roots
Transpiration
Transpiration is crucial for plants, influenced by factors like humidity, wind speed, temperature, and light intensity, impacting water uptake and cooling
Stomata Regulation
Stomata play a vital role in regulating water loss through transpiration, controlled by guard cell hydration levels and the hormone abscisic acid (ABA)
Transpiration is the process whereby water evaporates from the surfaces of plant tissues.
Water moves out of the leaf by diffusion through the stomata, driven by the high concentration of water molecules inside the leaf compared to the low concentration outside.
The rate of transpiration depends on several environmental factors such as air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and light intensity.
