Fundamental Biology
Course Code : BOT- 100
Credit Hours: 3(3-0)
Transpiration
Contents
➢ Definition
➢ Types of Transpiration
➢ Structures Involved in Transpiration
➢ Transpiration VS Evaporation
➢ Factors affecting Transpiration
➢ Tissues involved in Transport
➢ Transport of Water
Transpiration
➢ Transpiration is the process of water movement through a plant and its
evaporation from aerial parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers
➢ Water is necessary for plants but only a small amount of water taken up by the
roots is used for growth and metabolism
➢ The remaining 97–99% is lost by transpiration and guttation
Types of Transpiration
The three major types of transpiration are
1. Stomatal Transpiration
2. Lenticular Transpiration
3. Cuticular Transpiration
Stomatal transpiration
➢It is the loss of water through specialized pores in the leaves called stomata
➢ About 80 to 90% of the total water lost through stomata
Cuticular transpiration
➢The loss of water in the form of water vapour through the cuticle is known as
Cuticular transpiration.
➢Cuticle is an impermeable covering present on the leaves and stem
➢ It causes around 10- 20% transpiration in plants
Lenticular Transpiration
➢The loss of water in the form of water vapour through the lenticels
➢ Lenticels are the tiny openings present on the woody bark through which
transpiration occurs
➢It causes around 0.1 % transpiration in plants
Structure of Stomata
➢ Leaf stomata are the primary sites of transpiration and consist of
two guard cells that form a small pore
➢ Stomata are the tiny pores present on the epidermal surface of
leaves
➢ The guard cells control the opening and closing of the stomates in
response to various environmental stimuli.
➢ The guard cells are living and contain chloroplasts in them
➢ Transpiration is basically regulated by the opening and closing of
stomata
❑ Functions of stomata
They are used for the exchange of gases in between the
plant and atmosphere
Transpiration of water also takes place through stomata
Factors affecting transpiration
Number of Number of Size of the Presence of
leaves stomata leaf plant cuticle
Relative
Light supply Temperature Wind
humidity
Water supply
Transport
➢Transport is the process of moving
water, minerals and food to all parts of
the plant body
Transport Structures
• Plants have tissues to transport water,
nutrients and minerals
• Xylem transports water and mineral salts
from the roots up to other parts of the plant
• Phloem transport manufactured food
(sucrose and amino acid) from leaves to
other parts of plant
Transport of Water
➢ Water moves through the xylem vessels in a continuous transpiration
stream:
root → stem → leaf
➢ Transpiration can pull xylem sap up a tree because of two special
properties of water
Adhesion
Cohesion
➢ A solution of water and minerals, called xylem sap
❑ Adhesion
• The attraction between the water molecules and the cell wall of the
xylem cells is called adhesion
• The water molecules remain adhere to the xylem tissue so the column
of water in the xylem tissue does not break
❑ Cohesion
• The force of attraction among the water molecules is called cohesion. The cohesion
holds water molecules together
• This forms a continuous water column throughout the xylem vessels of the plant,
from the top to the root
• Water molecules remain joined to each other due to presence of H-bonds
between them
• Tension is created in water in the xylem elements of the leaves. Together, adhesion
and cohesion create a string of water molecules running from the roots to the leaves
References
• E. J. Simon, J. L. Dickey and J. B. Reece. 2018. Campbell Essential Biology
with Physiology. 6th ed. Pearson Education
• [Link] plants/transpiration/
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
homeostasis/plant-transport-processes-i/
• [Link]
