Effects of temperature on leaf growth in corn (Zea mays)

摘要

Effects of temperature on certain leaf-growth characteristics are described for corn (Zea maysL.) hybrid A498ensp;times;ensp;CG10 grown at 62ensp;nEensp;cmminus;2ensp;sminus;1irradiance (400ndash;700ensp;nm). The rate of leaf expansion declined from a maximum at the earliest measurement stage to zero sometime after the ligule was exserted. The number of visible leaves with actively growing laminae at any stage of ontogeny was constant over day/night temperatures of 15/10, 25/20, 30/25, and 35/30 deg;C, but increased from three to six between the appearance of the 7th and 13th leaves. Rate of leaf appearance was increased by temperature, from 0.19 leaves per day at 15/10 deg;C to 0.58 leaves per day at 30/25 deg;C. However, rate of leaf appearance only increased to 0.60 leaves per day at 35/30 deg;C. Areas of successive leaves increased to 842ensp;cmminus;2at (optimal) 25/20 deg;C and 772ensp;cmminus;2at 30/25 deg;C for leaf 11, and then decreased to leaf 15. Specific leaf weight (lamina weight/lamina area) increased throughout ontogeny and decreased with increasing temperature.