Plant Physiology

Soil Plant Atmosphere

Continuum (SPAC)
PROF. UNSA AYAZ
Soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC)

The soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) is the pathway for water moving from
soil through plants to the atmosphere. Continuum in the description highlights the
continuous nature of water connection through the pathway. The low water potential
of the atmosphere, and relatively higher (i.e. less negative) water potential inside
leaves, leads to a diffusion gradient across the stomatal pores of leaves, drawing
water out of the leaves as vapor.
As water vapour transpires out of the leaf, further water molecules evaporate off the surface of
mesophyll cells to replace the lost molecules since water in the air inside leaves is maintained at
saturation vapour pressure. Water lost at the surface of cells is replaced by water from the xylem,
which due to the cohesion-tension properties of water in the xylem of plants pulls additional water
molecules through the xylem from the roots toward the leaf.
Fundamental Principles
Two general principles are indispensable for studying the SPAC:
(1) the conservation principles that take the form of mass and energy ‘budgets,’ and
(2) the transport principles that relate the flow of some quantity to the difference or of other quantities
that influence or ‘force’ the flow and describe the ‘state’ of the exchange process.
• The principles of conservation of mass and energy are the backbone of studies of the SPAC. Because
mass and energy can take many forms as they throughout the SPAC, and even interact with each other,
budgets are constructed to quantify the important stores and flows of important life-enabling
constituents such as water, carbon, or energy.
• A budget is simply the application of the conservation principles (mass or energy) to a specific system
that must be carefully defined.
Role of Soil in Continuum
 Plant growth depends on the use of two important natural resources, soil and water.
 Soil provides the mechanical and nutrient support necessary for plant growth and Water is the major
input for the growth and development of all types of plants.
 Soil provides food and fertilizers to the crops where as water mobilize the organism of plant growth
and helps in introducing food and fertilizers to crops.
 Soil provides the room for water to be used by plants through the roots present in the same medium.
Water is the Link for Soil, Plant, and Atmosphere Continuum Water and plants
 Water availability limits the productivity in many ecosystems  Functions within a plant
 Most of plant fresh weight comes from water (up to 90%)
 Provide structure and support
 Source of oxygen release form photosynthesis
 Medium for transporting nutrients, metabolites, and plant hormones
 Lost by transpiration through stomata
 Inevitable consequence of photosynthesis
Soil Plant water Relationship

INTRODUCTION
• Soils are the natural media that support the growth and activities of many kinds of
plants, animals and micro-organisms which play a vital role for the existence of life
on earth.
FUNCTION AND PROPERTIES OF
WATER
• Water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
• Water together with dissolved nutrients forms the soil solution from which plants
get nutrients.
• Water helps to maintain turgor pressure of plant cells.
• Water is an integral component of photosynthetic relation.
• Water serves as a universal solvent.
• Water is very important for soil formation.
• Water is an important component of plant cell and constitutes about 80-90% of the
fresh weight of herbaceous plant parts and over 50% of the fresh weight of woody
plants.
ROLE OF WATER IN GROWTH AND
PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
Almost every plant process is affected directly or indirectly by water supply.
 Germination
 Growth
 Photosynthesis
 Respiration
 Transpiration
 Stomata opening and closing
 Flowering and Fruiting
 Fruit ripening and Dormancy
ROLE OF WATER IN SOIL
FUNCTIONING
 Soil Formation
 Soil Fertility
 Regulating soil temperature
PROPERTIES OF WATER

1. Hydrogen bonding
2. Cohesion and adhesion
3. Surface tension
4. Capillarity
5. Polarity
6. Specific heat
7. Heat of vaporization
8. Heat of fusion
9. Heat conductor
10. Water as a Regent
Classification of water with respect to
plants or biological point of view
1. Available water: the available water is estimated as the difference between soil
water content at field capacity and permanent wilting point.
2. Permanent wilting point: It is generally the soil water held at less than 15 bar.
It is the lower limit of available water beyond which water is adsorbed so
strongly that plants cannot absorb it fast enough to meet their water
requirements.
3. Unavailable water: Water held at water potential less than -15 bar and bound to
soil particles so tightly that is not available to plants.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL WATER

1. Gravitational water: It is of little use because it stays in soil for very short
period of time. It is present in soil at water potential greater than -0.1 bar and is
always in access of field capacity.
2. Field capacity: . At field capacity water is held in soil at water potential -0.1to -
0.3 bar.
3. Capillary water: it is present in soil at water potential -0.3 to -31 bar. However,
plant can use capillary water upto - 15 bar.
4. Hygroscopic water: Water that is held very tightly with soil solids at a water
potential lower than -31 bar.