Effects of a 4 °C increase in temperature on partitioning of leaf area and dry mass, root respiration and carbohydrates

Abstract

1. Plants of Bellis perennis, Dactylis glomerata and Poa annua were grown from seed in controlled-environment cabinets at either 16 or 20 °C; at the higher temperature all three species had increased total dry mass and leaf area when assessed on the basis of chronological time. On the basis of thermal time (summation of degree-days above 0 °C; days °C) temperature decreased the dry mass in P. annua. 2. Partitioning was assessed as a change in the allometric coefficients relating shoot and root dry mass, leaf and plant mass, leaf area and plant mass, and leaf area and leaf mass. Of the 12 relationships examined only three were affected by temperature: there was increased partitioning towards the shoot relative to the root in D. glomerata and increased partitioning towards leaf area rather than leaf mass in D. glomerata and B. perennis. 3. Root respiration was unaffected by temperature of growth in D. glomerata and P. annua but was lower in B. perennis grown at elevated temperature. 4. Root respiration acclimated to temperature in P. annua and B. perennis (i.e. when measured at the same temperature, respiration was higher in plants grown at 16 °C). 5. Root soluble carbohydrate concentration was unaffected by temperature of growth in any of the species. Feeding sucrose to the roots for a short period had no effect on the rate of respiration of B. perennis or D. glomerata but increased root respiration of P. annua.