The aims of this study were: (1) to determine simultaneously by means of a micro-potometric method the rates of water and various isotopic ion effluxes from isolated onion roots; (2) to determine and compare the effects of metabolic inhibitors on both processes simultaneously; (3) to ascertain the similarity or dissimilarity of mechanisms involved with these two processes; (4) to ascertain the role of active metabolism in each of these processes; (5) to shed light on possible gearing mechanism(s) between metabolic and transport processes.