Plant respiration is the oxidation of certain substrates by enzymes, leading to a release of carbon dioxide. It can be loosely thought of as the opposite of photosynthesis, though the net release of carbon dioxide in respiration is less than carbon uptake in photosynthesis. Respiration is an essential life process in plants. It is necessary for the synthesis of essential metabolites including carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids, as well as for the transport of minerals and other solutes between cells. It consumes between 25 and 75% of all the carbohydrates produced in photosynthesis at ordinary growth rates. [1]
References
- ^ Lambers, Hans & Ribas-Carbó, Miquel, eds. (2005), Plant Respiration: From Cell to Ecosystem (Advances in Photosynthesis & Respiration), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
