Relationship between the osmotic potential of cell sap and the water saturation deficit during the wilting of leaf tissue

Abstract

Changes in the osmotic potential of the cell sap in passive water balance (wilting) of parts of the leaf blade were determined in relation to increasing water saturation deficit. Theoretically it could be assumed that the water lost in passive water balance comes from the total cell water equally, hence also from an aliquot part from the water contained in the cell sap. In that case the concentration of the cell sap would increase in proportion to the growing water saturation deficit. In the absolute majority of investigated cases, the osmotic pressure increased (the osmotic potential fell) more steeply than corresponded theoretically to the loss of water at the time. From the difference observed between the mentioned theoretical course and the values found, an estimate of the percentage of “mobile” water in the cell, i.e. that part which was always directly involved in changes in the water content in the cell, was calculated. This “mobile” water in adult leaves constituted about 70 to 80 per cent. The proportion of “mobile” water was dependent on the rate of development of the water saturation deficit: When the wilting was rapid the amount observed in adult leaves was smaller than in the case of slow wilting. This proved that the “mobile” proportion of the cell water is determined according to the water balance by a dynamic equilibrium of intracellular diffusion currents of water according to gradients of the potential between the different parts of cell water which are determined by different linkage (“bound” water) as well as different localization in the cell.