Influence of temperature on net CO2 exchange in roses

Abstract

The effect of temperature on net CO2 exchange of source and sink tissues of the flowering shoots and of whole plants was examined using single-stemmed Samantha roses. At all stages of shoot development, the optimal temperature range for whole-plant carbon (C) gain at saturating irradiance and ambient CO2 level was between 20° and 25 °C, narrower than the temperature range for optimal leaf net photosynthesis. Dark respiration increased more dramatically than photosynthesis with temperatures between 15 and 35 °C. At 25 °C, C loss due to respiration from the flower bud at colour bud stage accounted for 45% of the C loss of the flowering shoot. At low irradiance levels (e.g. 200 μmol m−2 s−1) whole-plant net photosynthesis was greater at 16° than at 22 °C because of a greater reduction in respiration. Lowering the night temperature from 27 to 17 °C also increased daily C gain due to a reduction in the C lost at night. Whole-plant net photosynthesis of plants grown and measured at enriched (1000 ± 100 μL L−1) CO2 was greater than that of plants grown and measured at ambient (350 ± 50 μL L−1) level at temperatures between 15° and 35 °C. Furthermore, the optimal temperatures for whole-plant net photosynthesis in CO2 enrichment was higher than at ambient CO2 level. Key words: Dark respiration, net photosynthesis, Rosa hybrida, temperature