Pospíšilová J.
BIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 11: 130-138, 1969

Keywords: WSD development, tissue water transport
Abstract: Abstract. Intensity of transpiration, intensity of water absorption, water saturation deficit (w.s.d.) in different parts of samples and rate of water transport was investigated in samples from leaf tissue of fodder cabbage and banana-tree. all experiments (at initial w.s.d. 0~o and 20~o, in samples from upper, middle and lower leaves of fodder cabbage and from leaves of banana-tree) a distinct gradient of w.s.d, in the direction of transport of water was determined, therefore the limiting factor in the water balance was rate of water transport and not rate of water absorption. The lowest amount of water was always transported within transpiring part of sample. When the initial w.s.d, was 0~o not only the water transported by tissue from the environment, but also the water of the leaf tissue itself took part in water lost by transpiration and therefore water stress originated in the whole sample. At an initial w.s.d, of 20%, the rate of water absorption was higher than the rate of water transport and therefore the increase of w.s.d, in the transpiring part of the sample was accompanied by a simultaneous decrease of w.s.d, in the transporting part. An increase in the value of w.s.d, in leaf tissue proportionally increased the resistance of water transport in the liquid phase (on the average from 1.7 . 10 a to 6.7 . 10' atm rain cm ~ g-l) and also in the gaseous phase (on the average from 2.7 . 10 -3 to 14-0.10 -3 rain era-l). It was proved that insufficient rate of water transport can be responsible for the origin of water stress. At the same time the rate of water transport was influenced by the value of the w.s.d, since every change of w.s.d, in leaf tissue not only the gradient of water potential changed but also the resistance to water transport.
DOI: 10.1007/BF02921731 IEB authors: Jana Pospíšilová