TRANSPORT OF WATER

The process by which water is raised to considerable heights in plants has been studied for
years in botany. The result of this research is “COHESION-TENSION THEORY”.

1 STATEMENT
According to this theory;

The force which carries sap (water and

dissolved materials) upward through
the xylem is transpirational pull.
Transpiration creates a pressure
difference that pulls water and salts up
from roots.

2 FACTORS OF WATER
TRANSPORT
Following are the reasons for the creation of
transpirational pull.

2.1 NARROW XYLEM VESSELS

Water is held in a tube (xylem) that has small
diameter.

2.2 ADHESION
Water molecules adhere to the walls of xylem
tube (adhesion).

2.3 COHESION
Water molecules cohere to each other
(cohesion).

2.4 TENSION
The tension is provided when the water chain is
pulled up in the xylem vessels, producing an
overall tension among water molecules.
3 COLUMNS OF WATER
This tension forms ‘columns’ of water. The columns of water move from root to shoot and
the water content of the soil enters in these “columns”.

4 MECHANISM
When a leaf transpires (loses water), the water concentration of its mesophyll cells
drops.
This drop causes water to move by osmosis from the xylem of leaf into mesophyll
cells.
When one water molecule moves up in the xylem of the leaf, it creates a pulling
force that continues all the way to root.
This pulling force created by the transpiration of water is called transpirational pull.
It also causes water to move transversely (from root epidermis to cortex and
pericycle).

5 SPEED OF WATER TRANSPORT

Large quantities of water are pulled up in the leaves at relatively high speed, upto 8 mph-1
in tall trees while 1 mph-1 in other short plants.