Crop Science Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education
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Published in Crop Sci 14:732-735 (1974)
© 1974 Crop Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Contribution of Cotyledons to Growth of the Sainfoin Seedling1

C. S. Cooper and S. C. Fransen2

We studied growth of the sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop.) seedling in three experiments designed to measure energy relationships during early seedling development and the photosynthetic contribution of the cotyledons.

Growth of the sainfoin seedling depends on stored substrates during the first 7 days of growth. Stored substrate, however, was not adequate for normal first-leaf formation and expansion, which appeared to depend on cotyledonary photosynthesis. Once stored reserves have been used, cotyledon photosynthesis is of major importance to early seedling growth. Covering the cotyledon resulted in: (1) a greater proportion of accumulated dry matter being transported to leaves and stems at the expense of root growth; (2) a significant decrease in specific leaf weight of first leaves; and (3) a reduction seedling growth of 36% at 18 days of age. Cotyledons provided all of the photosynthate when seedlings were 7 days old. A subsequent decrease in photosynthetic contribution of cotyledons was in proportion to the decrease in cotyledon area as a percentage of total photosynthetic area and was only 18% by the time seedlings were 19 days old.

Key Words: Seedling growth • Photosynthesis • Specific leaf weights • Carbohydrate • Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop.

1 Cooperative investigation of the ARS, USDA and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. Published with approval of the Director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Series 477.

2 Agronomist, Western Region, ARS, USDA, and Graduate Assistant, Plant and Soil Science Dept., Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59715.

Received for publication March 13, 1974.




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