Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the

Plant
Franclene Milla, Chanel Mirafuentes, Gianica Monteagudo, Bradley Ong
BIO 21 LAB1A MHAB1
Submitted to: Associate Professor Elena Ragragio
Submitted: September 20, 2012

ABSTRACT
Diffusion, osmosis, imbibitions, and
guttation are directly involved in the
transport of water and minerals in and
out of a plant body. The cell
membrane maintains and protects the
plant body in the ever-changing
environment. Different environments
directly affect the transport of
dissolved minerals into the plant cells.
Our group used seven different
experiments to demonstrate the
transport of water and dissolved
minerals in and out of a plant.
Diffusion of pigments was seen in the
first experiment concerning Bixa
orellana, where the seeds were placed
in different test tubes containing
different substances. Osmosis, on the
other hand, was observed using small
strips of the abaxial epidermis of
Rhoeo spathodea. The third
experiment deals with the factors
affecting the integrity of the cell
membrane and was observed using
apple peelings which were placed in
different kinds of solvents at different
temperatures. Imbibition was seen
when wood, rubber and corn seeds
were placed inside two beakers - one
with water and the other with
kerosene. It was noted that each
material had an increase in weight
when placed in kerosene. The
movement of water through its stem
was seen in an experiment involving
pechay stalk; transpiration was
noticed when four identical leaves
where applied with petroleum jelly

and were later compared. Lastly,

guttation was seen in rice seedlings
which was seen when rice seedlings
were covered inside a container.

1. Introduction
Water and mineral substances are
taken up from the soil through the
roots and transported upwards; on the
other hand, products of photosynthesis
are produced and transported
throughout the plant system. In order
to thrive, plants must coordinate the
physiological processes that occur in
the maintenance of the equilibrium of
the transport of dissolved substances
through the cytoplasmic membrane.
The transport of nutrients and water
throughout the plant body provides the
framework for cell-to-cell
interdependence.
There are two ways in which transport
can occur across a membrane, either
by passive or active, depending on the
energy required during the process.
Simple diffusion, a kind of passive
transport, moves water from regions
of higher concentration to a lower one.
This process is only possible for
solutes which are readily permeable.
Other processes include bulk flow,
active transport, imbibitions and
osmosis.

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

The main objective of this experiment
was to show the movement of water
and minerals in and out of the plant.
The specific objectives of this
experiment were:
I.
II.
III.

IV.

To determine some factors

that affect the diffusion
process
To differentiate between
diffusion and imbibition
To determine factors that
affect permeability of cell
membranes
To demonstrate the
various processes by
which materials are
transported and transpired

2. Methodology
2.1. Diffusion of Selected Plant
Pigments
Our group weighed the seeds of
atsuete (Bixa orellana) and placed one
gram of seed each into 4 different kind
of test tubes. These test tubes were
labelled 1-4. In test tube labelled 1, 10
ml of distilled water was placed. In
test tube number 2, our group put 10
ml of distilled water and then placed it
in a boiling water bath. Next, we have
test tube number 3 and we placed 10
ml of vegetable oil. Lastly in test tube
number 4, 10 ml of heated vegetable
oil was placed. After half an hour, we
shook the test tubes and recorded the
color intensities in each.
2.2. Osmosis
Thin sections of the lower epidermal
side of Bangka-bangkaan (Rhoeo
spathodea) were cut by our group.
Using the LPO of the microscope, we
made a sketch of the turgid cell. Next,
without moving the slide, water was
drawn off using a piece of paper towel
and replaced it with a 5% NaCl
solution. A sketch showing the change

in the cells was then made based on

our observations.
2.3. Factors Affecting the Integrity
of Cell Membranes
Apple peels were gathered by peeling
it using a blade. 7 separate sections
were made. The first three sections
were transferred in 3 different test
tubes labelled A, B, and C which
contains 10 ml of distilled water. Test
tube A was placed under room
temperature, test tube B inside a
refrigerator and test tube C in a water
bath with temperature of 60C. After
observing for 30 minutes, each of the
three sections were placed into wet
mounts and viewed using a
microscope. Color intensity was
noted. For the remaining 4 sections,
we each placed them in separate slides
and labelled them from D to G. A drop
of 50% chloroform was added to D,
50% acetone for E, a drop of 0.1 M of
NaOH and 0.1 M of HCl to G. These
specimens were observed under the
microscope immediately, after 15
minutes and after 30 minutes.
2.4. Imbibition
The 2 pieces of rubber and 2 pieces of
wood were individually weighed. 2
sets of 10 grams of corn seeds were
also weighed. In a beaker, we placed 1
piece of wood, a piece of rubber and
10 grams of corn seeds and water was
added until the materials were
completely immersed. In another
beaker, a piece of wood, a piece of
ruber and 10 grams of corn seeds were
placed and kerosene was added until
the materials were immersed. After 90
minutes, these materials were taken
out and gently dried and their final
weights were measured.
2.5. Movement of Water Through
Stem

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

Pechay leaves with intact petiole was
used. 1cm of the base of the petiole
was cut off. The leaves were
immersed in a bottle containing 10ml
of 0.01% of eosin dye solution. After
about 10-15 minutes, a leaf was
removed and the stalk was split
longitudinally. The length covered
with dye was measured. From another
leaf, a thin cross section of the stalk
was cut and viewed under a
microscope in LPO. The stained
tissues were identified through being
viewed under the microscope.
2.6. Comparison of Cuticular and
Stomatal Transpiration by
Four Leaves Method
4 identical leaves were gathered.
These were then labelled A, B, C, and
D. Leaf A was assigned as the control.
Using vasellin, each of the three
remaining leaves were greased. Leaf
B was greased on the upper surface.
Leaf C was greased on the lower
surface. Leaf D was greased on both
sides. These leaves were then hanged
by a thread to expose both sides to air.
The set-ups were observed after one
meeting.
2.7. Guttation
5 rice grains were planted on a
container. The lower portion of the
container was immersed with water.
When the seedlings are 2-5cm long,
they were covered with a transparent
wide mouth jar. The set-up was
observed and the droplets that formed
on the leaf surfaces were noted.

3. Results
3.1. Diffusion of Selected Plant
Pigments
The diffusion of the pigments of the
seeds of Bixa orellana is relatively
higher when the concentration is also
high. More so, the higher the

temperature, the greater the rate of

diffusion.
Table 1. Intensities of the Rate of Diffusion

Substance
Test Tube 1 (Distilled Water)
Test Tube 2 (Hot Distilled Water)
Test Tube 3 (Vegetable Oil)
Test Tube 4 (Heated Vegetable Oil)

3.2. Osmosis
The cells were larger and tugid when
it was exposed with water; however,
when it was replaced with 5% NaCl
solution, the cells became flaccid and
plasmolyzed.
3.3. Factors Affecting the Integrity
of Cell Membranes
The results produced from this can be
divided into 3 parts: temperature, pH
effects, and organic solvents. With
temperature, the outside of the normal
physiological range would disrupt
membrane integrity causing pigments
to leak out of the cells. For organic
solvents, nonpolar ones would cause
damage to the membrane since the
outer membrane is nonpolar and
hydrophobic. Lastly, extreme pH
causes protein membranes to denature.
Table 2. Color Intensity of Various Solutions

Test Tube
A (C) room temperature
B (C) - refrigerated
C (C) heated to 60C

Intensity of Color
+++
++
+

D (chl
E (ace
F (NaO

----

----

G (HC

3.4. Imbibition
In this experiment, the affinity of the
wood, rubber and seeds to different
solvents were compared. Wood and
rubber makes good imbibant of water
as they showed significant change in

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

weight; on the other hand, rubber
showed greater change in weight
when it is imbibed in kerosene.
Table 3. Weight Before and After Imbibition

Medium
Water
Kerosene

Imbibant
Rubber
Wood
Seeds
Ruber
Wood
Seeds

3.5. Movement of Water Through

Stem

4.1. Diffusion of selected plant

pigments
The greater the concentration gradient
between the outside and the inside of
the membrane, the greater the
diffusion. If the concentration of the
pigments outside and inside the
membrane were greater, then it would
diffuse more quickly and vice versa.
The other factor that affects the rate of
diffusion is the size of the particles.
The smaller the particle, the faster it
would be diffused.

After 15 minutes of being immersed

in a bottle with 10mL of 0.01% eosin
dye solution, the dye solution went up
through the stem of the pechay in a
straight line manner through the
xylem tissues.

Increase in temperature speeds up

movement of molecules and faster
movement of molecules means faster
rates of diffusion. This is why the
heated distilled water and heated
vegetable oil had the fastest rates of
diffusion. Faster rate of diffusion was
observed in oil than water because the
pigments of the atsuete seeds are
insoluble in water.

3.6. Comparison of Cuticular and

Stomatal Transpiration by
Four Leaves Method

4.2. Osmosis

After 3 days of observation on the

leaves, leaf A being the control was
the most desiccated and curled on
both sides, leaf B smeared with grease
and vasellin on the upper surface and
leaf C smeared with grease on the
lower surface are both half-dry with
leaf B curling outward and leaf C
curling inward, and leaf D smeared
with grease on both sides remained
fresh, waxy, and moist, with no
occurrence of desiccation and curling.
3.7. Guttation
The appearance of the xylem saps
happened at the tip of the leaf blades
after the plant was covered with a
wide mouth jar.

4. DISCUSSION

When the bangka-bangkaan was

immersed in a hypotonic solution, the
cells became turgid. The water was
moving from a smaller concentration
of solutes than the solution on the
other side of the membrane. In the
turgid cell, the water will continually
move into the cell until the
concentration of the impermeable
solutes equals to that of the hypotonic
solution.
When the water was replaced with a
5% salt solution, the water became
hypertonic. The water then moved
from a larger concentration of solutes
than the solution on the other side of
the membrane. In a plasmolyzed cell,
the water would continually move out
of the cell until the concentration of
the impermeable solutes equals to that
of the hypertonic solution.
4.3. Factors affecting the integrity
of cell membrane

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

The apple peelings exhibited different
intensities of the color of their
pigments. The darker parts indicate
more damage and stress to the cell
membrane while the lighter ones
indicate less damage and stress. The
damaged cell membranes exhibited
darker color because the pigments
from inside the cell leak out.
In this experiment, 3 test tubes
containing immersed apple peelings in
water were subjected to different
temperatures. Results show that lower
temperatures inflict more damage to
the cell membrane and normal to high
temperatures inflict less or no damage.
In terms of the effect of pH, wet
mounts of 0.1M NaOH solution and
0.1M HCl solution were observed for
30 minutes. The results show that the
more the acidic a solution is, the more
damage it inflicts to the cell
membrane and the more basic a
solution is, the less damage. Results
also show that chloroform inflicted
more damage in the membrane than
the acetone. It is because chloroform
is more acidic than acetone.
4.4. Imbibition
Wood and seeds imbibed better in
water while rubber imbibed better in
kerosene.
Imbibition is the process by which a
substance absorbs a liquid and, as a
consequence, swells in volume but
does not dissolve. Imbibition, which is
usually reversible, is exhibited by
many biological compounds,
particularly by cell-wall constituents
such as pectin, celluloses, and lignin.
The swelling effect of imbibitions in
seeds is important in seed germination
for imbibition in water can burst the
seed coat, which signals the start of
germination.

4.5. Movement of water through

the stem
The 0.01% of eosin dye solution rose
up through the stem into the leaves.
This only shows that water moves
through the xylem elements in the
stem to transport water.
The eosin dye stain reached up to the
cross section of the leaf which means
that the water is diffused all
throughout the plant through the stem.
4.6. Comparison of the cuticular and
stomatal transpiration
Too much transpiration causes dessication.
Cuticle helps in preventing dessication of the
leaves. The control set-up, leaf A, where
nothing was applied dessicated while leaf D
which was smeared with grease on both sides
remained fresh and waxy without any
occurrence of dessication.
4.7. Guttation
Since the jar was closed, there was an excess
of moisture in the environment of the rice
seedlings, hence, it could not undergo
transpiration, which why guttation was
induced. Guttation is the exudation of
liquid water onto a plant surface. It
occurs under conditions of high
humidity when the saturated
atmosphere prevents transpiration.
The increase in root pressure forces
water out of special hydathodes. The
secreted water may contain calcium
salts, which dry as a white crust at the
leaf margins. Morning 'dew' on grass
is often the product of guttation, as the
lower temperatures at night provide
ideal conditions for the process to
occur. In transpiration, water vapor is
released while in guttation, xylem
saps are released.

REFERE NCES

Transport of Water and Materials In and Out of the Plant

1

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Mauseth, J. (2009). Botany: An
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Bartlett Publishers.