Maintenance and growth components of dark respiration rate in leaves of C3 and C4 plants as affected by leaf temperature

The rates of maintenance and growth components of leaf dark respiration of a C 3 plant ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and C 4 plant ( Zea mays L.) as affected by temperature were studied using the McCree concept. Respiration rates were measured by means of infrared gas analysis in a closed gas exchange system. In both C 3 and C 4 species R D and R m increased with temperature in the temperature range (15–62 °C) studied. R G depended on temperature with an optimum near the temperature optimum of gross photosynthetic rate, P g . Significant correlation between R D and R M and between R G and P G was found.