Question

The leaves of a well-watered potted plant were found wilted during a hot sunny day.

d. What advantage would the plants have derived from wilting?

Answer 1

Wilting:

The loss of rigidity and structure of non-woody plant parts caused by the loss of turgor pressure due to excessive water loss from the plants is known as wilting.

Advantages of wilting:

1. Wilting of plant parts such as leaves leads to the loss of turgidity of the guard cells which causes the closing of stomatal pores. This closing will prevent further loss of water.
2. The reduction in the further water loss from the plant parts can be beneficial during periods of droughts.
3. Wilting reduces the water loss and therefore, reduces the rate of transpiration.