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This gradient of water potential causes endosmosis. The endosmosis of water continues until the water potential both in the root and soil becomes equal. It is the absorption of minerals that utilise metabolic energy, but not water absorption. Hence, the absorption of water is indirectly an active process in a plant's life.
The function of all root hairs is to collect water and mineral nutrients in the soil to be sent throughout the plant. In roots, most water absorption happens through the root hairs. The length of root hairs allows them to penetrate between soil particles and prevents harmful bacterial organisms from entering the plant through the xylem vessels. [1]
In the root epidermis, epidermal hairs termed root hairs are common and are specialized for the absorption of water and mineral nutrients. In plants with secondary growth , the epidermis of roots and stems is usually replaced by a periderm through the action of a cork cambium .
The amount of water lost by a plant also depends on its size and the amount of water absorbed at the roots. Factors that effect root absorption of water include: moisture content of the soil, excessive soil fertility or salt content, poorly developed root systems, and those impacted by pathogenic bacteria and fungi such as pythium or rhizoctonia.
There is greater water potential in the soil than in the cytoplasm of the root hair cells. As the cell's surface membrane of the root hair cell is semi-permeable, osmosis can take place; and water passes from the soil to the root hairs. The next stage in the transpiration stream is water passing into the xylem vessels.
Primary and secondary roots in a cotton plant. In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. [1]
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Root Hairs – very small roots, often one cell wide, that do most of the water and nutrient absorption. Secondary – roots forming off of the primary root; often called branch roots. Taproot – a primary root that more-or-less enlarges and grows downward into the soil.