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Gutation: elimination of water by plants
Which is
Guttation is the process by which the plant eliminates liquid water.
How does the gutting of plants occur
Guttation occurs in the leaves of plants, more precisely in structures located on their edges called hydatodes.
The amount of water eliminated in guttation varies from species to species. However, it is higher in plants located in tropical regions.
Why it occurs (function)
Plants need to perspire to maintain the ideal water balance inside, but when the day is very humid plant perspiration does not occur or occurs very slowly.
Guttation also occurs at night, because without the heat of the sun and high humidity, perspiration is low. To compensate, these hydatodes come into play, ensuring the perspiration of the plant.
Guttation also occurs in another situation: when the amount of water absorbed by the roots is greater than the plant's ability to remove water from the leaves.
Dew and Guttation
We cannot confuse gutting with dew. In this second case, water condensation occurs on the plant, from certain climatic situations of the environment.
Gutation Water Composition
Laboratory analysis shows that much of the liquid eliminated by the plant in gutting is water. However, compounds such as sugars and potassium are also found. Sometimes it is possible to check these compounds in the morning through a thin white layer that remains on the leaf just after drying (water evaporation).
In agricultural areas where insecticide overuse occurs, these toxic substances also appear mixed with gutting water. They are also the cause of death of many bees that consume this water.
