Studies on the Oil Formation in Rape Seed : IV. On the effect of temperature

Abstract

This study has been concerned with the effects of high temperature during various stages of growth on the growth and development of plants and the oil formation of seeds in the three rape varieties. Generally, the growth and development of plants were accelerated by the high temperature during each stage of growth. The high temperature, especially during seed maturing stage, hastened the maturity of seeds and decreased the oil content of seeds. Thus the oil content per dry weight of seed of the variety Norin No.3orNorin No.14was 42% or 45% respectively under low temperature, while under high temperature, 36% or 39% respectively. It is worthy of notice that there is a parallelism between the yield of seed and the content of oil in the seed in these two varieties. In the variety Aburamasari noted for its high content of oil, however, the decrease in oil content of seeds under high temperature was not so remarkable as in the other two varieties, and no difference was found among the yields of seeds of each plot. The relation between oil content of seeds and temperature during maturation of seed was discussed in connection with characteristics of varieties