Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
The rates of foliar dark respiration and net photosynthesis in attached leaves of 25 C3, C4, and C3-C4 intermediate dicotyledonous weed species were determined using the infrared gas analyzer. The ratio of dark respiration to photosynthesis per unit leaf area in attached leaves of each species was inversely proportional to leaf age. Highly significant, positive linear correlation was observed between the rates of foliar dark respiration and net photosynthetic CO2 uptake in dicot weeds irrespective of the photosynthetic type. The higher foliar dark respiration rate found in some of the weed species can be attributed in part to the higher carbohydrate levels as generated by a rapid photosynthetic CO2 assimilation. The significance of higher dark respiration rate in relation to carbon and energy economy of weeds is discussed.