SUMMARYThe growth and water transport of wheat plants was measured with the root system divided into two equal parts and grown in solutions of different osmotic potential. Growth of roots decreased with decrease in osmotic potential and stopped at ‐10 bar, but solutions of high osmotic potential, available to part of the root system, did not significantly influence the growth of the other part of the root system when the osmotic potential was small. However, it did allow greater growth of leaves and faster transpiration rates, because plant water potential was not greatly decreased. The rate of water transport slowed with decreasing osmotic potential but with part of the root system under stress absorption from solutions of high potential increased. The resistance of the parts of the root system and plant increased, approximately logarithmically, with decreasing leaf water potential from ‐4 to ‐17 bar. Roots are influenced by the potential of water at their surface, but a decrease in water absorption by part of the root is compensated for by an increase in water absorption by other roots.