Evidence for active water transport in a corn root preparation

Abstract

Water flow was measured in aZea mays root preparation consisting of a segment from which the central part had been excised. It was shown that water flow had two components, one osmotic and one non-osmotic. The non-osmotic flow was inhibited by cyanide. No correlation was found between water flow and solute flow. These findings suggest that active water transport occurred in the root preparation. The mechanism of such water movement is discussed.