Open AccessGrowth Response of a Succulent Plant, Agave vilmoriniana, to Elevated CO2
Author(s) -
Sherwood B. Idso,
Bruce A. Kimball,
M. Anderson,
Stan R. Szarek
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
plant physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.554
H-Index - 312
eISSN - 1532-2548
pISSN - 0032-0889
DOI - 10.1104/pp.80.3.796
Subject(s) - dry weight , agave , plant growth , horticulture , biology , botany , zoology , agronomy
Large (about 200 grams dry weight) and small (about 5 grams dry weight) specimens of the leaf succulent Agave vilmoriniana Berger were grown outdoors at Phoenix, Arizona. Potted plants were maintained in open-top chambers constructed with clear, plastic wall material. Four CO(2) concentrations of 350, 560, 675, and 885 microliters per liter were used during two growth periods and two water treatments. Small and large plants were grown for 6 months, while a few large plants were grown for 1 year. Wet-treatment plants received water twice weekly, whereas dry-treatment plants received slightly more water than they would under natural conditions. Plant growth rates in all treatments were significantly different between small and large specimens, but not between 6 month and 1 year large plants. Only the dry-treatment plants exhibited statistically different growth rates between the CO(2) treatments. This productivity response was equivalent to a 28% and 3-fold increase when mathematically interpolated between CO(2) concentrations of 300 and 600 microliters per liter for large and small plants, respectively.