[1][2][3] Moisture stress has an effect on stomatal opening, mainly causing a closure in stomata as to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide assimilation.
[4] Closing of the stomata also slows the rate of transpiration, which limits water loss and helps to prevent the wilting effects of moisture stress.
[5] This closing can be triggered by the roots sensing dry soil and in response producing the hormone ABA which when transported up the xylem into the leaves will reduce stomatal conductance and wall extensibility of growing cells.
Plants that are subjected to mild stress can recover in 1–2 days however, plants subjected to severe water stress will only recover 40-60% of its maximum photosynthetic rates the day after re watering and may never reach maximum photosynthetic rates.
The recovery from moisture stress starts with an increase in water content in leaves reopening the stomata then the synthesis of photosynthetic proteins.