EFFECT OF OXYGEN CONCENTRATION ON THE RESPIRATION OF SOME VEGETABLES

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Abstract
The respiration rates of asparagus, spinach, snap beans, shelled peas, and carrots were detd. at levels of oxygen varying from 0.8 to 20.5%. CO2 was excluded from the storage atmosphere. Any decrease in the conc. of atmospheric O2 caused a corresponding drop in the respiration rate. At O2 levels below 5%, the respiration rate could be reduced as much as 50%. At 20[degree] C, the critical O2 conc., below which the tissue was injured by anaerobic respiration, was about 1% for spinach and snap beans, 2.5% for asparagus, and 4% for peas and carrots. The vegetables were more tolerant to low oxygen at 10[degree] C than at 20[degree] C. Sugar losses of asparagus and peas were smaller at low levels of O2 than could be explained on the basis of reduced respiration rates.