Several tomato plants are growing in a small garden plot. If soil water potential were to drop significantly on a hot summer afternoon, which of the following would most likely occur?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When soil water potential drops, plants experience water stress and reduce the opening of stomata to conserve water. This is because stomatal openings allow for transpiration, which can result in a loss of water from the plant. Therefore, option A, i.e. stomatal apertures would decrease, is the best choice. Option B is incorrect because transpiration would actually decrease due to the closed stomata. Option C is incorrect because decreased soil water potential would cause wilting and loss of leaf turgor. Option D is incorrect because the uptake of CO₂ by plants is not directly affected by soil water potential.

Several Tomato Plants Are Growing in a Small Garden Plot