Discuss the various mechanisms of opening and closing of stomata - KCSE Biology Essays

Photosynthetic theory; during the day, guard cells carry out photosynthesis manufacturing glucose; This increases the osmotic pressure of the sap vacuole; which becomes higher than that of the neighbouring epidermal cells; guard cells therefore take in water by osmosis; and become turgid; the outer thin wall stretches easily; pulling the thicker inner wall outwards; thus the stomata opens;

At night, there is no light hence no photosynthesis takes place; plant cells respire using up more glucose; the osmotic pressure of the sap vacuole of the guard cells
reduces; becoming lower than the neighbouring epidermal cells; the guard cells lose water by osmosis; to adjacent epidermal cells; they then become flaccid; pulling together the thick inner walls; and stomata closes;

Enzymatic inter-conversion between starch and glucose/sugar; At day time, plants continuously use carbon (IV) oxide for photosynthesis; leading to an increase in the pH of the guard cells; this causes starch to be converted to sugar/glucose; the glucose increases the osmotic pressure of the guard cells; hence water is taken in by osmosis; the cells become turgid and bulge outwards; causing the stomata to open;

At night, no photosynthesis occurs but respiration takes place; carbon (IV) oxide accumulates in guard cells; lowering the pH; the low pH favours conversion of glucose into starch; starch is osmotically inactive; this lowers the osmotic pressure of guard cells; guard cells therefore lose water by osmosis to the adjacent epidermal cells; become flaccid; pulling together the thick inner walls; and the stomata closes;

Active ion exudation; during the day, there’s an accumulation of potassium and sodium ions; as a result of active pumping of the ions by the ATP formed through photosynthesis; carbon (IV) oxide fixation occurs in the guard cells; the guard cells become turgid; and stomata open;

At night, before the stomata close, the ions diffuse out of the guard cells into epidermal cells; the osmotic pressure of guard cells is lowered; they lose water to epidermal cells by osmosis; and become flaccid; thereby closing the stomata;