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High alcohols as antitranspirants
Author(s) -
Gale J.,
Roberts Edwin B.,
Hagan Robert M.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr003i002p00437
Subject(s) - transpiration , evapotranspiration , evaporation , plant growth , photosynthesis , vegetation (pathology) , chemistry , horticulture , botany , agronomy , environmental science , biology , thermodynamics , ecology , medicine , pathology , physics
The use of monomolecular films of high alcohols to reduce evaporation from open water surfaces has stimulated much work on the possibility of applying these materials to plants to reduce transpiration. The results of 17 such investigations indicate that at concentrations that reduce transpiration, these materials also reduce plant growth. The one study that reported reduction of plant transpiration and increase of growth was repeated, but with negative results. Analysis of the relative resistances of hexadecanol films to flow of CO 2 and water vapor and their relation to resistances to flow normally found in plant leaves indicates that these films should reduce photosynthesis more than transpiration. It is concluded that such materials are not suitable as antitranspirants. (Key words: Evapotranspiration; plants; vegetation)