TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CO(2) BY GERMINATING SEEDS OF LUPINUS ALBUS AND ZEA MAYS.

The rates of production of CO(2) by germinating seeds of Lupinus albus and Zea mays were studied between temperatures 12.5 degrees and 25 degrees C. with the HCl-Ba(OH)(2) titration method. The temperature characteristics found are different from those previously obtained for the oxygen consumption of the same seeds germinated in the same manner. For Lupinus, the temperature characteristics above and below the critical temperature of 20 degrees are 16,100 +/- and 24,000 +/- calories respectively. For Zea, no evidence of a critical temperature was found in this region, and the temperature characteristic is 20,750 +/- calories throughout the range of temperature tested. The possible interpretations of the difference in the values of temperature characteristics for oxygen consumption and for production of CO(2) are noted.