We examined the roles of turgor potential and osmotic adjustment in plant growth by comparing the growth of spring wheat (Triticum aestivumcv. Siete cerrors) and sudangrass (Sorghum vulgarevar. Piper) seedlings in response to soil water and temperature stresses. The rates of leaf area expansion, leaf water potential and osmotic potential were measured at combinations of 5 soil water potentials ranging from −0.03 to −0.25 MPa and 6 soil temperatures ranging from 14 to 36°C. Spring wheat exhibited little osmotic adjustment while sudangrass exhibited a high degree of osmotic adjustment. However, the rate of leaf area growth for sudangrass was more sensitive to water stress than that of spring wheat. These results were used to evaluate the relationship between growth and turgor potential. The modified Arrhenius equation based on thermodynamic considerations of the growth process was evaluated. This equation obtains growth rate as a function of activation energy, enthalpy difference between active and inactive states of enzymes, base growth rate and optimum temperature. Analyses indicate that the modified Arrhenius equation is consistent with the Lockhart equation with a metabolically controlled cell wall extensibi