Aerobic methane emissions from stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense) capsules.

Aerobic methane (CH4) emission from plant vegetative parts has been confirmed by many studies. However, the origin of aerobic CH4 from plants and its emission from reproductive parts have not been well documented. We determined the effects of developmental stages (early, mid, late) and incubation conditions (darkness, dim light, bright light) on CH4 emissions from stinkweed (Thlaspi arvense) capsules. We found that CH4 emissions from capsules varied with developmental stage and incubation light. Methane emission was highest for the late harvested capsules and for those incubated under lower (dim) light condition. Our results also showed a significant negative correlation between CH4 emission and capsule moisture content. We conclude that CH4 emissions vary with capsule age and diurnal light environment.