Question

Your mother asked you to put water soluble fertilizer around the roots of her prize winning rose bush. The following week, you noticed the leaves of her rose bush are beginning to turn yellow and wilt. In terms of tonicity and water movement, explain why the rose began to die after the addition of fertilizer. Bonus: What can you do to solve this problem

Answer 1

Answer/Explanation:

The water soluble fertilizer that was added created a hypertonic environment. Concentration of solute is higher around the plant cells thereby leading to the movement of water molecule away from the cells of the rose bush. This is why the rise bush began to wilt as the leaves turn yellow.

Solution:

Give the plants a reasonable amount of water to cause the solution to be isotonic. When the amount of fertilizer and water is relatively balanced, the plants would be able to utilize the fertilizer, feed well and grow well.