With the help of well-labelled diagrams, describe the process of plasmolysis in plants, giving appropriate examples.

Explanation

The shrinkage of protoplasm of a cell due to loss of water by exosmosis is called plasmolysis and the cell is said to be plasmolysed. As a result the cell becomes flaccid. Suppose a cell is surrounded by a solution which is more concentrated (hypertonic) than the cell sap, water molecules diffuse out of the cell through the membrane (exosmosis). The solution of higher concentration than that of the cell sap is called a hypertonic solution. As a result the cell sap loses water and the cell becomes flaccid. The protoplasm shrinks. The extent of shrinkage of the cytoplasm depends upon the concentration of the surrounding solution. If is slightly more concentrated than the cell sap, incipient plasmolysis is observed. If the cell in incipient plasmolysis is placed in hypertonic solution for some more time, it enters into evident plasmolysis and further into final plasmolysis.