ENERGETIC ASPECTS OF WATER TRANSPORT ACROSS THE PLANT-ROOT

The energetic aspects of water transport across the plant root (e.g. a bean root) and its ascent along the xylem due to the root pressure is the subject of the present work. The root has been modelled as a 1-me mbrane system. The powers M(uo), M(ro), M(rd) and eta(od) have been in vestigated as functions of the medium solution concentration C-m, and the height h of water elevation in the xylem. The main result of the s tudy shows that the energetic efficiency of the root of the plant stud ied does not depend on the solute concentration in the medium. This ma kes plant water transport independent, to a certain extent, on the env ironmental conditions.