Respiration and Energy Turnover During the Seedling Development of Triticum aestivum L., Zea mays L., Helianthus annuus L., and Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Seedling length, CO(2) output, dry weight and energy content of the seeds and seedling organs of Triticum, Zea, Helianthus and Phaseolus were determined in order to study the efficiency of storage substance utilization and energy turnover during seedling development up to 108 h. The respiration rate is lower in the large seeds of Zea and Phaseolus (2.2 and 2.0 mgCO(2)·gDW(-1)·h(-1)) than in the small seeds of Triticum and Helianthus (3.1 and 4.2 mgCO(2)·gDW(-1)·h(-1)). CO(2) output during the synthesis of seedling organs reaches a maximum value in Triticum, Zea and Helianthus after 36 h (1.0, 1.7 and 1.3 gCO(2)·gDW(n)(-1), resp.) and in Phaseolus after 60 h (3.0 gCO(2)·gDW(n)(-1)). This high CO(2) evolution is caused by the lag phase of growth at the beginning of germination, as indicated in the RGR course. The loss of mobilized storage substances caused by CO(2) evolution amounts to 46% in Phaseolus and is less (av. 30%) in the other seeds. The energy loss in relation to the energy of the ungerminated seed is relatively high in the small and energy-rich seeds of Triticum (19%) and Helianthus (21 %) compared with the large seeds of Zea (8 %) and Phaseolus (13 %). The efficiency of energy utilization corresponding to the energy stored in the newly formed seedling organs is low in Helianthus (40%) and Phaseolus (43%) and relatively high in Triticum (55%) and Zea (6 %). The calorific equivalent of the CO(2) amount evolved differs widely (11 to 24 kJ·gCO(2)(-1)). With the exception of Zea these values are much higher than the calorific equivalent of the dry weight loss. The latter may be explained by energy losses without CO(2) evolution, as well as by CO(2) refixation by PEPC and by energy dissipation in the maintenance metabolism.