In conditions in which soil water is plentiful but oxygen is scarce, plants respond by

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When soil water is plentiful but oxygen is scarce, plants switch to anaerobic respiration, known as alcoholic fermentation, to produce ATP. This allows them to survive in conditions of low oxygen, but it also results in the production of ethanol and other organic acids, which may accumulate and damage plant tissues. Plants do not produce oxygen from water, as photosynthesis requires sunlight and chlorophyll to do this. Rapidly growing roots that penetrate deeply into the soil may be a response to water scarcity, not oxygen deficiency. Inhibiting the production of ATP would not help plants survive under low-oxygen conditions.

In Conditions in Which Soil Water Is Plentiful but Oxygen