Transpiration and Its

Significance

Dr. Habibur Rahman

Associate Professor
J. N. College, Boko
Introduction:
• The loss of water in the form of vapor from the living tissues of aerial parts
of plant such as leaf, stem, leaves etc. is termed as transpiration.
• The plants uptake abundant quantity of water from the soil through their root
hairs. Some portion of the water is utilized in the metabolic activities of the
plant whereas rest of them are evaporated from the stem and the leaves.
• Transpiration takes place through stomata, lenticels or cuticle(A lenticel is a
porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces in the periderm of the
secondarily thickened organs and the bark of woody stems and roots of dicotyledonous
flowering plants).
• Transpiration is a metabolic process regulated by protoplasm and may be
decreased or increased where needed by the nature.
• It differs from evaporation in fact that transpiration being a physiological
process while evaporation is a physical process.
• The rate of transpiration is measured by potometer.
Types of transpiration in plants:
Transpiration takes place through surface of leaves. It is known as Foliar
transpiration (more than 90%). Transpiration occurs through young or mature
stem is called as Cauline transpiration.
On the basis of site of transpiration, there are three types of transpiration.
They are:
1. Stomatal transpiration: It occurs through the stomata situated on the
leaves and sometimes on the green stems. It is the most important one.
Almost 90-97% of the total transpiration occurs through the stomata.
2. Lenticular transpiration: It occurs through the lenticels found on the stem.
The stomata remain closed during night and the plant transpire through
lenticels.
3. Cuticular transpiration: It takes place through the cuticle found on the
surface of the stem and leaves.
Structure of stomata:
• The stomata are very minute apertures, found on the epidermis of the
leaves. Each stoma is surrounded by two kidney-shaped special
epidermal cells, known as guard cells.
• The epidermal cells surrounding the guard cells of the stoma are
known as accessory or subsidiary cells. The number of stomata may
range from thousands to lacs per square centimeter on the surface of
the leaf.
• Each stoma is surrounded by two guard cells. The kidney-shaped
guard cells contain chloroplasts.
Stomatal mechanism in plant cells:
The mechanism of the closing and opening of the stomata depends upon the
presence of sugar and starch in the guard cells.

• During day time or in the presence of light, the guard cells of the
stomata contain sugar synthesized by their chloroplasts. The sugar is
soluble and increases the concentration of the sap of guard cells. Due to
higher concentration of the cytoplasm of guard cells, the water comes to
them from the neighbouring cells by Endosmosis and they become turgid.
With the result the stomata remain open.
• In the night or in the absence of light the sugar present in guard cells
converts into the starch. The starch is insoluble, and this way the cell sap
of the guard cells remains of much lower concentration than those of
neighbouring cells, and the neighbouring cells take out the water from the
guard cells by Exosmosis making them flaccid and the stomata closed.
Structure of stomata:

• The stomata (stoma, singular) are microscopic apertures commonly found on

the epidermis of leaves, green fruits and herbaceous stems.
• Stomata are never present in roots.
• It is biconvex elliptical in structure.
• The two kidney-shaped special epidermal cells termed as guard cells
surrounds each stoma.
• The guard cells are filled with thin layer of cytoplasm and central large
vacuole.
• The cell wall of guard cells surrounding the stomatal pores is thicker and
inelastic because of the formation of secondary layer of cellulose, while rest
cell wall is thin and elastic.
• The epidermal cells that surrounds the guard cells of the stoma are termed as
accessory or subsidiary cells.
• The guard cells are always living and consists of small chloroplasts unlike
other epidermal cells.
• In case of dicotyledonous leaves, the stomata are found scattered whereas
in case of monocotyledonous leaves, the stomata are arranged in parallel
rows.
• The stomata may be found on both the surface of the leaf, but their
number is always greater on the lower surface.
Shape, size and number of stomata:

• The shape of guard cells in case of dicots is reniform or kidney shaped

whereas in case of monocots, it is dumb-bell shaped.
• The size of stoma varies from species to species and measures 3- 12 μ.
• The number of stomata can vary from thousands to lacs per square
centimetre on the surface of the leaf.
Mechanisms of opening and closing of stomata:
• In normal condition, the stomata remain closed in the absence of light.
• In the day time or in the presence of light, stomata are always open.
• Under each stoma, a respiratory cavity is present.
• The mechanism of the closing and opening of the stomata relies upon the
presence of sugar and starch in the guard cells.
Starch-sugar inter conversion hypothesis:
• This hypothesis states that the opening and closing of stomata is controlled
by phosphorylase enzyme.
• During daytime, the starch converts into glucose (sugar) by the activity of
phosphorylase enzyme.
• The increasing concentration of sugar in the guard cells causes endosmosis
from neighboring cells.
• Hence, the guard cells become turgid and stomata opens
• The sugar present in guard cell converts into the starch in the absence of
light or during night.
• The starch is insoluble, and hence the cell sap of the guard cell remains of
much lower concentration in comparison to neighboring cells.
• Exosmosis from the guard cells takes place by making them flaccid and
the stomata is closed.
• The starch-sugar inter-conversion depends upon the acidity (pH) and
alkalinity of the cell sap of guard cells.
• During night, photosynthesis is absent thus the carbon dioxide gets
accumulated in the guard cells.
• This converts the cell sap in to weak acidic starch.
• The carbon dioxide is utilized in the process of photosynthesis during
daytime and the cell sap becomes alkaline and the starch converts in to
sugar.
Concentrations of CO2 hypothesis:
• This hypothesis for opening and closing of stomata was proposed by Bonner and
Galston.
• It relies upon the concentration of the carbon dioxide (CO2) present in the
stomatal chamber.
• It is independent of the presence or absence of light.
• Normally 0.03% of carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere.
• When the density of the CO2 in the sub stomatal chamber also becomes 0.03%,
then the guard cells become flaccid and the stomata becomes closed.
• As the density of CO2 decreases gradually, the stoma starts to open and it opens
gradually lengthwise until the density of CO2 becomes 0.01%.
• Now the stomata are completely open and they are not open further beyond this
density.
• The photosynthesis occurs in day time and much of the carbon dioxide is being
utilized in the process, the density becomes lesser than 0.03% and the stomata
stays open during day time.
• During night or in the darkness, photosynthesis is absent, the density of carbon
dioxide remains 0.03%.
• The guard cell remains flaccid and the stomata remains closed.

Active potassium (K+) theory:

• This theory is also termed as hormonal regulation theory or malate switch
theory or potassium malate theory.
• This theory was proposed by Levitt in 1974.
• The role of potassium (K+) in stomatal opening is now most accepted world-
wide.
• In 1967, Fujino, for the first time observed that opening of stomata takes place
due to the influx of K+ ions concentration.
• The osmotic concentration of guard cells is increased by the influx of K + and
causes stomatal opening.
• The uptake of potassium K+ controls the gradient in the water potential.
• This in turn triggers endosmosis into the guard cells increasing the turgor pressure.
• ATP aids in entry of K+ ions into the guard cells.
• Levitt (1974) observed that proton (H+) uptake by the guard cell’s chloroplasts occurs with
the help of ATP.
• This leads to rise of pH in guard cells.
• Increase in pH converts starch into organic acid, such as malic acid.
• Malic acid again dissociates to form H+ and malate anion.
• The absorption of potassium K+ ions is balanced by one of the following:
• Uptake of Cl-
• Transport of H+ ions from organic acids, such as malic acid
• By negative charges of organic acids when they lose H+ ions
• The accumulation of large concentration of K+ ions in guard cells is ionically balanced by
the uptake of negatively charged ions, i.e., chloride and malate.
• The hydrolysis of starch causes the accumulation of high amount of malate in guard cells of
open stomata.
• A passive or highly catalyzed excretion of K+ and Cl from the guard cells to the epidermal
tissue results in stomatal closure in general and subsidiary cells in particular.
• It is considered that subsidiary cells have an active re-absorption mechanism of K +.
Opening of Stomata during Daytime (in presence of light):

Opening of stomata depends upon following conditions:

(a) In Presence of light.
(b) Decrease in starch contents of guard cells.
(c) Increased concentration of malic acid in guard cells.
(d) Influx of K+ ions into guard cells.
(e) Efflux of H+ ions from guard cells.
(f) Intake of CI ions by guard cells.
(g) Low CO2 concentration in an around guard cells.
(h) High pH (more than 7) in guard cells (hence, alkaline medium of the cell sap
in guard cells).
(i) High Turgor Pressure in guard cells due to endosmosis, (turgidity of cells).
(j) And stomata open.
 Closing of Stomata in Absence of Light (Darkness/Night
Time):
Closing of stomata depends on following conditions:
(a) Absence of light.
(b) Decreased concentration of malic acid in guard cells.
(c) Efflux of K+ ions from guard cells.
(d) Influx of H+ ions in guard cells.
(e) Acidic medium of the cell sap in guard cells.
(f) Loss of Cl– ions from guard cells.
(g) Increases CO2 concentration in and around guard cell due to release of CO2
in respiration combined with the absence of photosynthetic activity in dark.
(h) Presence of plant growth inhibiting hormone abscissic acid (ABA),
(i) Loss of turgidity and loss of kidney-shape by guard cells.
All these conditions represent the reversal of the daytime events. Under these
conditions, the guard cells lose water by exosmosis and become flaccid. This
causes closing of the stomata.
Factors Affecting Transpiration in Plants
1. Humidity of Air:

Humidity or amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, surrounding the plant

has influence on Transpiration. On damp foggy atmosphere the rate of transpiration
decreases as the outer air remains saturated with water vapour. The less moisture
there is in air, the greater will be the rate of transpiration.

2. Light or Illumination:
The opening and closing of the stomata depend on light. due to absorption of
radiant energy and its transformation into heat, temperature of the leaf is raised
bringing about an increase in transpiration rates.

3. Temperature:
It increases the rate of transpiration as it hastens transformation of water into water
vapour.
4. Wind:
By wind or air current water vapour given off during transpiration is removed;
thus saturation of the surrounding air is avoided which otherwise would retard
the rate of transpiration. Winds of high however, retard transpiration, because
the stomata close up due to high winds. Moreover, winds of high velocity bring
about a reduction in temperature which undoubtedly affects transpiration.
5. Atmospheric Pressure:
When atmospheric pressure is high, the rate of transpiration is low.
Plants growing in high altitudes have distinctly lower atmospheric pressures,
and those plants have high rates of transpiration, if other environmental factors
are not limiting.
6. Soil Factors:
As all necessary water is absorbed from the soil, factors like water content,
composition, temperature, concentration of soil solution, etc., indirectly
influence the rate of transpiration.
Significance of transpiration:

• As transpiration helps in the movement of xylem sap, it increases the

absorption of mineral nutrients by the roots from the soil.
• It causes cooling effect on leaf and plant surface.
• It produces suction pressure for absorption, ascent of sap, mineral
translocation and distribution of minerals.
• Transpiration decreases heating of leaves by solar radiations.
• It maintains turgidity as well as aids in hydrological cycle.
Disadvantages of transpiration:

• The energy used during absorption is wasted.

• Unwanted loss of water.
• Excess transpiration causes wilting that is harmful for plants.
• It increases acidity, alkalinity or aridity of soil.