The relationship between water binding and desiccation tolerance in tissues
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Semi-High Throughput Screening for Potential Drought-tolerance in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Germplasm Collections
Published on: April 17, 2015
1Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
Abstract:
In an effort to define the nature of desiccation tolerance, a comparison of the water sorption characteristics was made between tissues that were resistant and tissues that were sensitive to desiccation. Water sorption isotherms were constructed for germinated and ungerminated soybean axes and also for fronds of several species of Polypodium with varying tolerance to dehydration. The strength of water binding was determined by van't Hoff as well as D'Arcy/Watt analyses of the isotherms at 5, 15, and/or 25 degrees C. Tissues which were sensitive to desiccation had a poor capacity to bind water tightly. Tightly bound water can be removed from soybean and pea seeds by equilibration at 35 degrees C over very low relative humidities; this results in a reduction in the viability of the seed. We suggest that region 1 water (i.e. water bound with very negative enthalpy values) is an important component of desiccation tolerance.
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Tonicity in Plants
Tonicity
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water depending on the solute...
Tonicity in Plants
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Tonicity in Animals
Tonicity in Animals