THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH RATE AND RESPIRATION DURING GERMINATION IN PEA (PISUM SATIVUM L).

THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH RATE DURING GERMINATION HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED FROM THE MINIMUM UP TO THE OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR 7 WRINKLED PEA CULTIVARS. ON AVERAGE, THE MINIMUM GERMINATION TEMPERATURE WAS 272 K (-1 DEG C) FOR THE ROOT AND THE OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR GROWTH RATE WAS 301.1 K (28.1 DEG C) FOR THE ROOT AND 299.6 K (26.6 DEG C) FOR THE EPICOTYL. BETWEEN 278.2 AND 290.6 K (5.2 AND17.6 DEG C), THERE WAS A VERY HIGH CORRELATION BETWEEN RESPIRATION AND GROWTH RATE. AT THE MINIMUM GERMINATION TEMPERATURE, RESPIRATION DETERMINED BY EXTRAPOLATION IS REGARDED AS A BASIC RESPIRATION WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED BEFORE GERMINATION CAN TAKE PLACE. HOWEVER, BEFORE THE EMBRYO ROOT PENETRATES THE SEED COAT AT 273 K (0 DEG C), THE RESPIRATION CAN BE LESS THAN THIS BASIC RESPIRATION.