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Plant Physiology, Development and Metabolism pp 3–36Cite as

Plant Water Relations

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Abstract

Water is one of the most important constituents of life. Chemically, water is the hydride of oxygen. Oxygen, being more electronegative, exerts a strong attractive pull on its electrons. This unequal attraction results in small positive charge on two hydrogen molecules and a small negative charge on the oxygen molecule. The two lone pairs of electrons of the oxygen molecule result in bending of water molecule. The partial charges on oxygen and hydrogen molecules result in high electric dipole moment and polarity of water molecule. The distinct physical and chemical properties of water, namely, cohesion, surface tension, high specific heat, high heat of vaporization, lower density of ice, and solubility, are due to hydrogen bonding between water molecules (Fig. 1.1). Water forms solution with large number of compounds. It is thus usually referred as a universal solvent. The solvent action of water is of tremendous importance for the cells. All cells require water, dissolved ions, and sugars to survive. Cells undergo oxidation-reduction reactions, and water serves as the medium in which all these reactions are carried out. Plants, being immobile and autotrophic, have to depend on the supply of water and minerals from the soil and carbon dioxide and light from the atmosphere. Transport of water and minerals in the vascular strands is based on the differences in pressure and concentration gradients of both solutes and the solvent (water). The transport of minerals and water from the soil to xylem and from xylem to substomatal cavity is referred as short-distance transport. Once water enters the xylem elements, it is transported up to 100 m or more by the transpirational pull created in the leaves. Therefore, there is need to have an essential long-distance transport by two different transport systems involving transport in opposite directions. This chapter shall focus on various mechanisms of short- and long-distance transport in plants.

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Suggested Further Readings

  • Jones RL, Ougham H, Thomas H, Waaland S (2013) The molecular life of plants. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, pp 504–533

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  • Patrik JW, Tyerman SD, van Bel AJE (2015) Long distance transport. In: Buchanan BB, Gruissem W, Jones RL (eds) Biochemistry and molecular biology of plants. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, pp 658–701

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridge I (ed) (2002) Plants. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 105–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Taiz L, Zeiger E (2010) Plant physiology, 5th edn. Sinauer Associates Inc, Sunderland, pp 85–105

    Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Renu Kathpalia & Satish C Bhatla

Authors
  1. Renu Kathpalia
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  2. Satish C Bhatla
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Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. 1.

    Which of the following phenomenon is involved in shrinkage of grapes when placed in hypertonic sugar solution?

    1. (a)

      Deplasmolysis

    2. (b)

      Imbibition

    3. (c)

      Exosmosis

    4. (d)

      Osmosis

  2. 2.

    Guard cells differ from epidermal cells in having:

    1. (a)

      Mitochondria

    2. (b)

      Chloroplast

    3. (c)

      Nucleus

    4. (d)

      Golgi body

  3. 3.

    When water enters a cell, it builds up positive:

    1. (a)

      Osmotic pressure

    2. (b)

      Turgor pressure

    3. (c)

      Vapor pressure

    4. (d)

      Atmospheric pressure

  4. 4.

    The surface of leaves remains cool due to:

    1. (a)

      Transpiration

    2. (b)

      Guttation

    3. (c)

      Transport of water

    4. (d)

      Evaporation

  5. 5.

    During daytime, if carbon dioxide concentration around the leaves increases:

    1. (a)

      Stomata will open gradually.

    2. (b)

      Stomata will open suddenly.

    3. (c)

      No change in transpiration.

    4. (d)

      Decrease in transpiration due to closure of stomata.

  6. 6.

    The movement of water in xylem is due to:

    1. (a)

      Cohesive force among water molecules

    2. (b)

      Adhesive force between water and wall of xylem element

    3. (c)

      Transpirational pull

    4. (d)

      Cohesion and transpirational pull

  7. 7.

    How would you treat an epidermal peel if stomatal pore is to be opened?

    1. (a)

      Float the peel in abscisic acid.

    2. (b)

      Take buffer of pH 7 and add KCl and immerse the peel in it.

    3. (c)

      Use sucrose solution.

    4. (d)

      Use fusicocin.

  8. 8.

    A potato tuber weighing 0.5 gm and water potential of 1 MPa is immersed in coconut for 1 h. The tuber is removed and again weighed. What do you conclude about the water potential of coconut water if potato tuber weight after the treatment is reduced to 0.35 gm?

    1. (a)

      Less than 1 MPa.

    2. (b)

      More than 1 MPa.

    3. (c)

      0 MPa.

    4. (d)

      It is not possible to find water potential of coconut water.

  9. 9.

    Four solutions contain 1 g/L of the following molecules. Which one would have lowest water potential?

    1. (a)

      Sucrose

    2. (b)

      Glucose

    3. (c)

      DNA

    4. (d)

      Starch

  10. 10.

    Guttation is shown by the plants when:

    1. (a)

      Root pressure is equal to transpiration.

    2. (b)

      Temperature and relative humidity are low.

    3. (c)

      Temperature is high and relative humidity is low.

    4. (d)

      Root pressure is high due to high temperature and relative humidity.

Answers

1. c

2. b

3. b

4. a

5. d

6. d

7. b

8. a

9. d

10. d

    

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Kathpalia, R., Bhatla, S.C. (2018). Plant Water Relations. In: Plant Physiology, Development and Metabolism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2023-1_1

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