PLANT WATER RELATIONS

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CALCULATING WATER POTENTIAL

 Water potential (Ψ) is actually determined by taking into account two factors -
osmotic (or solute) potential (ΨS) and pressure potential (ΨP).
 The formula for calculating water potential is Ψ = ΨS + ΨP.
 Osmotic potential is directly proportional to the solute concentration.
PRESSURE POTENTIAL

 Ψp.
 The component of water potential due to the hydrostatic pressure that
is exerted on water in a cell.
 In turgid plant cells it usually has a positive value as the entry of water
causes the protoplast to push against the cell wall.
 In xylem cells there is a negative pressure potential, or tension, as a
result of transpiration.
 Water at atmospheric pressure has a pressure potential of zero. Ψp
 It was formerly known as wall pressure or turgor pressure
MATRIC POTENTIAL

 Symbol ψm.
 A component of water potential due to the adhesion of water molecules to non
dissolved structures of the system, i.e. the matrix, such as soil particles.
 It is always negative and is significant only outside living cells in relatively dry
systems
 for example soils, where much of the water is tightly bound to soil particles.
 - determined by the strength of the attraction of water to the soil matrix