Answer:
This will affect respiration rate, with readings falling to Zero, due to lack of mass flow, and therefore capillarity.
Explanation:
Non-polar substances lacks the dipole-dipole interactions and therefore hydrogen bonding, which allow forces of adhesion and cohesion, for water molecules to stick together, for mass flow and capillarity.
Capillarity in this scenario is the movements of water molecules through the(columns) xylem vessels to the leaves, and it is aided by adhesion and cohesion forces.Thus a non -polar substance lacks, covalent -bonding(since to unequal distribution of charges e-/p+ ), therefore no dipole-dipole interaction, consequently no hydrogen bonding.The molecules are not held together (cohesion,) and with the walls of the xylem vessels(adhesion).
Consequently, this substance can not move by mass flow to through the xylem to reach the leave surfaces( failed capillarity), thus transpiration rate reduces and reading is zero..