“…Thus, increasing root absorption capacity per surface unit to favor the partitioning of assimilates towards this organ is a tolerance response to water deficit (Ryser, 2006;Polanía et al, 2009), mainly in oil palm ). However, under severe water deficit conditions, the 'U1937' hybrid decreased its overall water potential, as an active response to the accumulation of reducing and total sugars in leaf cells (decrease in osmotic potential), which allowed the plants to maintain their flow of water through the roots and reduce its loss through the stomatal chamber, a response that some authors consider as an indicator of growth or survival (tolerance) to water deficit (Handa et al, 1983;Gomes and Prado, 2007;López et al, 2009). This type of osmotic adjustment under water deficit conditions has been reported in leaves and in other organs of sorghum, rice, potatoes, corn, wheat (Silva et al, 2007), pine (López et al, 2009), and oil palm .…”