Respiration Rate as a Measure of Performance in Adaptation Studies in Oats

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate differences, if any, in respiration rates found among varieties generally similar but strongly contrasting in a few specific yield influencing characters. The basic assumption has been that yield is the summation of p hysiological processes and the components of yield should therefore also be expected to be based on these processes. Eight oat varieties which represented gross differences in phenotypic expression of yield, maturity and plant type were selected for this study. The material used in this study was grown at Brookings during the 1958 season in three replications with blocks completely randomized. In general, early maturing varieties exhibited the higher respiration rates and later types a relatively lower ra te. A significant correlation was calculated between the mean daily respiration rates computed on fresh weight and total nitrogen bases. This is interpreted to mean that relationships which may be established on a fresh weight basis could be expected to be similar to relationships calculated on a total nitrogen basis. The differences among varieties in the mean number of tillers per plant are also highly significant