Conducting efficiency of roots for the longitudinal flow of water

Abstract

There is an increasing need of quantitative data for modelling water transport in plants. One of the required parameters is the conducting efficiency of roots for the longitudinal flow of water. The complexity of the vascular system of roots is rarely appreciated by investigators of translocation and studies of this kind calls for active cooperation between physiologists and anatomists (Fig. 3; Table 1). There are two kinds of quantitative information available: data of linear progressive rate of flow of water columns in tissues and data of experimental flow through detached segments of roots under controlled conditions.