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Seed tubers of the variety Ostara were raised in growth chambers of 16°C air temperature continuously. The vessels were placed in a water bath of automatic temperature regulation so that soil temperatures of 16°C and 28°C could be maintained. Four weeks after emergence the plants were treated with 14CO2 and 24 hours later the plants were harvested. Three more treatments and time harvests followed in two weeks intervals. C‐14 activity was determined in soluble carbohydrates, in insoluble carbohydrates, and in non extractable residues respectively of the various plant parts in order to obtain information about the translocation of assimilates in the plant. While the plants at 28°C soil temperature reduced the soluble sugar levels to 50% up to 70 days after emergence, the plants at 16° brought it down to 33% much faster. — The C‐14 activity in insoluble carbohydrates amounted to only 50 % in the plants at 28°C while at 16°C it was more than 2/3 (Tables 1 and 2). — The C‐14 activity in non extractable residues is much less at 28°C than at 16°C (Tables 3 and 4). — The starch weight reaches only 30% of the value obtained at lower temperature 70 days after emergence (Table 5). — At the higher temperature starch is also increasingly transferred to the tubers but to a much lesser extent and not from the stems and stolons (Table 6). Possible causes, particularly the role of phytohormones, and consequences are discussed.

The effect of salinity (40 and 80 meq/1 NaCl) on stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, ultrastructural damage and photosynthetic performance of six cultivars of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) from different agroclimatic regions were investigated. Low levels of salinity (40 meq/1 NaCl) increased chlorophyll content in some cultivars but did not lead to simultaneous increase in photosynthesis (P). Increased salinity levels (80 meq/1 NaCl) decreased chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance. Ultrastructural damage was observed in sensitive cultivars even at low salinity levels. Based on the parameters investigated, there was no concrete evidence to suggest that the physiological processes of cultivars from arid and semi‐arid regions are less affected under saline conditions as compared to cultivars from temperate regions. The results suggested increased salinity affects P not only due to its effect on stomatal closure but also due to other non‐stomatal effects like ultrastructural damage and decrease in chlorophyll content below a threshold level.

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