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What is turgor pressure? Give its one significance to plants.

GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer

Turgor pressure (Ψ<sub>p</sub>) is the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the cell contents (protoplast) against the rigid cell wall when water enters the cell through osmosis.

Mechanism:

  1. Cell placed in hypotonic solution
  2. Water enters by osmosis
  3. Vacuole swells, protoplast pushes against cell wall
  4. Cell wall resists, creating wall pressure (equal and opposite to turgor pressure)
  5. Equilibrium reached when Ψ<sub>p</sub> = |Ψ<sub>s</sub>|

Significance to Plants:

Primary Function: Turgor pressure is the driving force for:

  • Long-distance water transport through xylem
  • Translocation of solutes and minerals
  • Cell expansion and growth
  • Stomatal opening (guard cell turgidity)
  • Maintenance of plant rigidity (herbaceous plants)
  • Nastic movements (e.g., Mimosa pudica leaf folding)

Critical Point: Loss of turgor (wilting) occurs during water stress, affecting all plant functions.

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