NEW ERA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

ASPIRATION, AUROVILLE

AFFILIATION NO: 1900810

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ON
EFFECT OF VARYING CONCENTRATION OF SALT ON PLANTS

SUBMITTED BY:

PRATHAB.P

XII-SCIENCE

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF:

K.HUMARA BEGUM,

PGT-BIOLOGY.

2019-2020

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My sincere thanks go to Mr.K.Anbu, our principal, for his coordination in extending every
possible support for the completion of this project.

I would like to express a deep sense of thanks and gratitude to my project guide Smt.
K.Humara Begum mam for guiding me immensely through the course of the project. She
always evinced keen interest in my work. Her constructive advice and constant motivation
have been responsible for the successful completion of this project.

I also thank my parents for their motivation and support. I must thank my classmates for their
timely help and support for compilation of this project.

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 CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION

2. AIM

3. MATERIALS REQUIRED

4. PROCEDURE

5. OBSERVATION

6. CONCLUSION

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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INTRODUCTION

Salt is a solute. When you add water to a solute, it diffuses, spreading out the concentration of salt,
creating a solution. If the concentration of salt inside a cell is the same as the concentration of salt
outside the cell, the water level will stay the same, creating an isotonic solution.

Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane. Salt triggers osmosis by attracting the
water and causing it to move toward it, across the membrane. Salt is a solute. When you add
water to a solute, it diffuses spreading out the concentration of salt, creating a solution. If the
concentration of salt inside a cell is the same as the concentration of salt outside the cell, the
water level will stay the same, creating an isotonic solution. Cells will not gain or lose water
if placed in an isotonic solution.
Salt Sucks, Cells Swell
Water in cells moves toward the highest concentration of salt. If there is more salt in a cell
than outside it, the water will move through the membrane into the cell, causing it to increase
in size, swelling up as the water fills the cell in its imperative to combine with the salt. If a
higher concentration of salt is placed outside the cell membrane, the water will leave the cell
to bond with it. The loss of water from this movement causes plant cells to shrink and wilt.
This is why salt can kill plants; it leaches the water from the cells. The movement of water to
leave an animal cell will also cause those cells to shrink and cause dehydration.

Concentration gradient- the movement of osmosis is affected by the concentration gradient;

the lower the concentration of the solute within a solvent, the faster osmosis will occur in that
solvent.

Salt triggers osmosis by attracting the water and causing it to move towards it, across the
membrane. If the concentration of salt inside a cell is the same as the concentration of salt
outside the cell, the water level will stay the same, creating an isotonic solution.

Osmosis is the movement of water across a cell membrane. The water travels down the
concentration gradient from higher water concentration (and lower solute concentration) to
lower water concentration (and higher solute concentration). In other words, water moves
from a hypotonic region to a hypertonic region.

Human blood, at 0.9% salt concentration, is a little less salty than sea water, which has a salt
concentration of about 35 parts the concentration of salt solution is affecting osmosis in
potatoes. Then the water moves into the potato by osmosis. This will cause the potato piece to
swell. However, if you put a piece of potato into a strong salt solution (where the water
concentration is low), then the water will move out of the potato.

Osmosis occurs until the concentration gradient of water goes to zero or until the hydrostatic
pressure of the water balances the osmotic pressure. Osmosis occurs when there is a
concentration gradient of a solute within a solution, but the membrane does not allow
diffusion of the solute.

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An increases in temperature would cause the rate of osmosis to accelerate. The acceleration
would occur because it would cause the particles to more quicker. The diffusion of water
across a semi-permeable membrane.

In both plants and animals, each cell is surrounded by a membrane. This membrane forms a
selective barrier between the cell and it's environment. Large molecules, such as sugar’s
(C6H12O6) or fats, and charged molecules, such as sodium ions (Na+) or chlorine ions (Cl-),
cannot pass through the membrane, but small molecules such as oxygen (O2). Without this
barrier, the substances necessary to the life of the cell would diffuse uniformly into the cells
surroundings, and toxic materials from the surroundings would enter the cell. The cell
membrane is referred to as semipermeable because some particles can naturally cross it while
others cannot. This ability to regulate the flow of molecules into and out of the cell keeps the
cells internal environment stable, even though parts of that environment are always shifting.
Chemical particles are constantly in motion. How much they move is related to the amount of
energy they contain and how concentrated they are.

Diffusion is the movement of chemical particles ( i.e., atoms, molecules, ions) from an area
of high concentration to an area of lower concentration. Without any barriers to such
movement ( like a membrane ), chemical particles naturally diffuse in this direction. If a
membrane is present, then only particles that can cross it naturally will be able to continue to
diffuse normally. To make particles to move in the opposite direction ( low concentration to
high concentration), energy must be added to the particles. Osmosis refers specifically to the
diffusion of water molecules. In cells, water cannot simply diffuse across the membrane.
However, special openings in the membrane allow for easy flow of water molecules so cells
can take in or get rid of water when added. An isotonic solution is a solution that has the
same concentration of particles and water as the cell. If blood cells ( or other cells ) are
placed in contact with an isotonic solution, they will neither shrink or swell. If the solution is
hypertonic- having a higher concentration of solute (and lower concentration of water) than
inside the cell membrane- the cells will lose water and shrink. If the solution is hypertonic-
having a lower concentration of solute and higher concentration of water molecules- the cells
will gain water and swell. Saltwater from the ocean is hypertonic to the cells of the human
body since it has more salt in it. Cells, as a result, lose water and shrink. That is why we can't
drink water from ocean- it dehydrates body tissues instead of quenching thirst.

Salinity has duel effect on plant growth via an osmotic effect on plant water uptake, and
specific ion toxicities. By decreasing the osmotic potential of the soil solution, plant access to
soil water is decreased. As the soil dries, the concentration of salt in the soil solution
increases, further decreasing the osmotic potential. In order to maintain water uptake from a
saline soil, plants must osmotically adjust. This is done either by taking up salts and
compartmentalizing them within plant tissue, or synthesizing organic solutes. Plants which
take up salts generally have a higher salt tolerance and greater ability to store high salt
concentrations in plant tissue without affecting cell processes and are known as halophytes.
Abiotic stress limits crop productivity , and plays a major role in determining the distribution
of plant species across different types of environments. Abiotic stress and its effects on plants
in both natural and agricultural settings is a topic that is receiving increasing attention
because of the potential impacts of climate change on rainfall patterns and temperature
extremes, salinization of agricultural lands by irrigation, and the overall need to maintain or

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increase agricultural productivity on marginal lands. In the field, a plant may experience
several distinct abiotic stresses either concurrently or at different times through the growing
season.

In reference are showed some common examples of the abiotic stresses a plant may
encounter which include a decreased availability of water, extremes of temperature including
freezing, decreased availability of essential nutrients from the soil (or conversely the build-up
of toxic ions during salt stress), excess light (especially when photosynthesis is restricted) or
increased hardness of the soil that restricts root growth.

Salinity is one of the major severe abiotic factors affecting crop growth and productivity .
Salt’s negative effects on plant growth have initially been associated with the osmotic stress
component caused by decreases in soil water potential and, consequently, restriction of water
uptake by roots.

Plant stress definitions

The term stress is most often used subjectively and with various meanings. The physiological
definition and appropriate term for stress are referenced as responses to different situations.
The flexibility of normal metabolism allows the development of responses to environmental
changes, which fluctuate regularly and predictably over daily and seasonal cycles . Thus,
stress plays a pivotal role in determining interaction outcomes because it strongly influences
the strength of underlying positive and negative interactions.

Stress is defined as any external abiotic (heat, water, salinity) or biotic (herbivore) constraint
that limits the rate of photosynthesis and reduces a plant’s ability to convert energy to
biomass .The strength of positive interactions increases with increasing stress except at the
most extreme levels. In contrast, the strength of negative interactions is either unrelated to
stress and remains consistently high, or alternatively, decreases with increasing stress .

Environmental stress could be defined in plants as any change in growth condition(s), within
the plant’s natural habitat, that alters or disrupts its metabolic homeostasis. Such change(s) in
growth condition requires an adjustment of metabolic pathways, aimed at achieving a new
state of homeostasis, in a process that is usually referred to as acclimation .However, the
concept of plant stress is often used imprecisely, and stress terminology can be confusing, so
it is useful to start our discussion with some definitions. Stress is usually defined as an
external factor that exerts a disadvantageous influence on the plant. In most cases, stress is a
measured in relation to plant survival, crop yield, growth (biomass accumulation), or the
primary assimilation processes (CO2 and mineral uptake), which are related to overall
growth. In addition, the concept of stress is intimately associated with that of stress tolerance,
which is the plant’s fitness to cope with an unfavourable environment. In the literature the
term stress resistance is often used interchangeably with stress tolerance, although the latter
term is preferred.

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Concepts and consequences of water and salt stress on plants

Water-deficit stress can be defined as a situation in which plant water potential and turgor are
reduced enough to interface with normal functions. Water stress is considered to be a
moderate loss of water, which leads to stomatal closure and limitation of gas exchange.
Desiccation is a much more extensive loss of water that can potentially lead to gross
disruption of metabolism and cell structure and eventually to the cessation of enzyme
catalyzing reactions. Water stress is characterized by reduction of water content, turgor, total
water potential, wilting, closure of stomata, and decrease in cell enlargement and growth.
Severe water stress may result in arrest of photosynthesis, disturbance of metabolism, and
finally death .

The term ‘salinity’ refers to the presence in soil and water of electrolytic mineral solutes in
concentrations that are harmful to many agricultural crops. Except along seashores, saline
soils seldom occur in humid regions, thanks to the net downward percolation of fresh water
though the soil profile, brought about by the excess of rainfall compared with
evapotranspiration. In arid regions, on the other hand, there may be periods of no net
downward percolation and hence no effective leaching, so salts can accumulate in the soil.
Hence the combined effect of meager rainfall, high evaporation, the presence of salt-bearing
sediments, and – in many places, particularly river valleys and other low-lying areas – the
occurrence of shallow, brackish groundwater which gives rise to saline soils .

Salinity in soil or water is one of the major stresses and, especially in arid and semi-arid
regions, can severely limit crop production. The below flowchart is showing that deleterious
effects of salinity on plant growth are associated with low osmotic potential of soil solution
(water stress), nutritional imbalance, specific ion effect (salt stress), or a combination of these
factors .

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 Effects of salt stress on plants

Mechanisms of acclimatisation or adaptation to water and salt stress

Drought and soil salinity are among the most damaging abiotic stresses affecting today’s
agriculture. It is understandable that plants are under periodic water stress because of the
unpredictable nature of rainfall.

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AIM
The main purpose of conducting this experiment of a plant cell is “To regulate how the
different concentrations of salts affect the cytoplasm in a plant cell when exposed to them”.

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MATERIALS REQUIRED

● Microscope

● Graduated Cylinders

● Red onion

● Balance

● safety goggles

● Tweezers

● table salt

● small knife

● paper towels

● distilled water

● Paper

● Pencil

● Spoon

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PROCEDURE

1. Collect all the materials that are needed for a plant cell science experiment. Wear the
safety goggles.
2. Make Use of knife to cut onions into two pieces of wedge-shaped
3. Use eyedropper for placing a drop of the distilled water at the centre of the slide of the
microscope.
4. Make use of tweezers in order to peel the thin layer of the skin tissue in part of onion
wedge. Place it at the centre of slide of microscope
5. Add one drop of the distilled water & also one drop of the stain may be iodine or even
eosin over onion tissue on the slide.
6. Lower the glass coverslip carefully at an angle above the tissue which is stained, thus
allowing the air bubbles in order to escape.
7. Examine this slide under compound microscope at a magnification of 100X
8. Later draw and also identify the observed structures.
9. Prepare about 5% solution of salt by adding about 5 grams of salt per 100 ml of the
distilled water in a graduated cylinder. Then gently shake it until it gets dissolved.
Prepare 10% of the solution by adding about 10 grams of the salt per 100 ml of the
distilled water in one more graduated cylinder.
10. Add 5% of the solution by use of dropper to one part of the prepared slide. The 5%
solution should get mixed with the liquid which is already on the slide of onion tissue.
11. Then glide the triangle-shaped end of the paper towel under opposite end of the cover
slip. This will make the liquid to get mixed more with the liquid on the slide. Use
some more additional drops of the 5% solution when needed in order to complete the
introduction of the new solution.
12. Repeat the process in steps 7 and also 8.
13. Make use of dropper again to add few drops of 10% solution to the one part of the
coverslip of the slide with 5% solution. The 10% solution should get mixed with the
liquid which is already on the slide of onion tissue.
14. Glide the triangle-shaped part of the paper towel on the opposite end of the cover slip.
Use some additional drops of about 10% solution when needed for completion of the
new solution.
15. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for your plant cell science project.

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CONCLUSION
The salt concentration on plant has a important effect on its growth. The optimal
concentration helps the survival and maintainenance. Increasing salinity decreased the
osmotic potential of the plant. This change is considered as one of the defensive means by
which plants tolerate stress, this increases its ability to absorb water. Among the great number
of abiotic stress affecting plants, drought and salinity are the most severe and stronger ones
that limit plant growth and crop productivity in agriculture worldwide. Salt stress occurs from
both osmotic stress due to low water potentials and salt-specific effects, for this beyond the
water restrictions, salt-stressed plants have to develop conditions to tolerate the toxic effects
caused by ion accumulation, which could affect all aspects of plant metabolism.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Class 11 NCERT Textbook

https://www.intechopen.com/books/responses-of-organisms-to-water-stress/comparison-between-the-
water-and-salt-stress-effects-on-plant-growth-and-development

https://byjus.com/cbse/plant-cell-model/

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