The Performance of Water Mobilization and Transpiration in Oil Palm

Abstract

This study was being elucidated in order to understand the performance of water mobilization and transpiration in oil palm tree at the age of 2, 4, and 22 years old respectively. To gain that, we attempt to collect the data in regard with the large of total leaf surface (meter square), description on transpiration rate in total leaf surface (in ml/second/cm), the number of stomata at both top and bottom leaf surface, description of root anatomy and total number of roots, water retention, and transpiration. To measure the large of total leaf surface (meter square), we calculated the large of single leaf in (m), multiply with number of leaves per midrib, and total midrib. We quantified transpiration rate in total leaf surface (in ml/second/cm) using the method of cobalt chloride, and calculated the numbers of stomata at both top and bottom leaf surface microscopically, and observed and described qualitatively the palm oil root anatomy and total number of roots. We estimated water retention via calculating the percentage of water content in root and stem. Finally, we recorded the environment data such as air humidity, air temperature and light intensity during the observations. The result showed that in average the total leaf surface at one oil palm tree is 88.77 m; 102.55 m; and 134,91 m at 2, 4, and 22 years old respectively. This larges of leaf are to accomplished the transpiration at the rate of 3.38; 5.69, and 1.24 (ml/second/cm) correspondingly. The number of stomata at bottom leaf surface is bigger than the one at top surface so that the bottom surface is mostly for the place of transpiration occurrence. The number of root for water absorption per palm oil shoot is 324 in average. We illustrated that young root anatomy is more compact and as the growth and development occured, the root is more complicated into root branch and root of the root branch. As the maturation occured, the tissue of mature organ of root branch was disrupted and blessingly to become easier and more effective for water absorption. Water retention was estimated on the data of water content at root (71,70% to 73,40%) in shoot (49,45 – 71,27%). In conclusion, the water mobilization in oil palm tree is a complicated, huge and very dynamics, from roots below the soil, absorbed into stem, and finally evaporated mostly into transpiration. The dynamics depend on its environment variables.