Leaf water absorption and desorption functions for three turfgrasses

SummaryPlant leaf can absorb water when the leaf is in contact with water. This happens when the rainfall is intercepted by plant leaves, where the intercepted part of rain remains on the leaf surface. When the intercepted water is either absorbed or subsequently evaporated into the atmosphere, the plant leaves can dissipate water through the desorption process until the plant is dry or rewatered. In this paper, two symptomatic models in the form of exponential functions for leaf water absorption and leaf water desorption were derived and validated by experimental data using leaves of three turfgrasses (Tall fescue, Perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass). Both the models and measured data showed that the rate of leaf water absorption was high at the low initial leaf water content and then gradually leveled off toward the saturated leaf water content. The rate of leaf water desorption was high at the high initial leaf water content then decreased drastically over time toward zero. The different plant leaves showed different exponents and other parameters of the functions which indicate the difference of plant species. Both the absorption and desorption rates were relatively higher for the Kentucky bluegrass and lower for the Tall fescue and Perennial ryegrass. The concept of specific leaf area (SLA) was used to understand the saturated leaf water content (Cs) of the three turfgrasses. Linear relationships were found between Cs and SLA. The leaf water absorption and desorption functions are useful for deriving physiological parameters of the plant such as permanent wilting leaf water content, naturally irreducible leaf water content, exponential leaf water absorption coefficient, and exponential leaf desorption coefficient, as well as for evaluating the effects of rainfall interception on plant growth and water use efficiency.