Ageing and the Influx of Water into Radish Root-hair Cells

A micropotometric device previously described by the writer was used to determine quantitatively the velocity of water influx in cubic microns per square micron of hair surface per minute of comparatively older and younger root hairs of radish seedlings in a humid atmosphere at 29 degrees +/- 1 degrees C. when the micropotometers were filled with Hoagland solution at pH 6.8. In each experiment, measurements were made on two hairs of different length and different age on a given root and the hairs were inserted into the micropotometers a sufficient distance so that the area of immersion, 13,200micro(2), was the same in each instance. The range of velocities of water influx through the immersed surface was 4.46 to 1.16micro(3)/micro(2)/min. for the younger and shorter hairs which varied in length from 280 to 460 microns. The range of velocities of water influx through the immersed surface of the older hairs which varied from 661 to 2300 microns in length was 1.94 to 0.47micro(3)/micro(2)/min. The data indicate that water entry slows down in older hairs independent of root length. Estimations were made of the times to replace hair volumes based upon the mean velocities of water entry of the immersed areas. It was found that the time for the hairs to absorb an amount of water equivalent to their own volumes under the conditions specified was a matter of minutes or less; the range was 0.90 to 8.51 minutes.