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Effects of CO 2 Enrichment and Drought on Photosynthesis, Growth and Yield of an Old and a Modern Barley Cultivar
Author(s) -
Schmid I.,
Franzaring J.,
Müller M.,
Brohon N.,
Calvo O. C.,
Högy P.,
Fangmeier A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1111/jac.12127
Subject(s) - cultivar , photosynthesis , agronomy , yield (engineering) , stomatal conductance , biomass (ecology) , grain yield , chemistry , water use efficiency , biology , horticulture , botany , materials science , metallurgy
Susceptibility of crops to drought may change under atmospheric CO 2 enrichment. We tested the effects of CO 2 enrichment and drought on the older malting barley cultivar Golden Promise ( GP ) and the recent variety Bambina ( BA ). Hypothesizing that CO 2 enrichment mitigates the adverse effects of drought and that GP shows a stronger response to CO 2 enrichment than BA , plants of both cultivars were grown in climate chambers. Optimal and reduced watering levels and two CO 2 concentrations (380 and 550 ppm) were used to investigate photosynthetic parameters, growth and yield. In contrast to expectations, CO 2 increased total plant biomass by 34 % in the modern cultivar while the growth stimulation was not significant in GP . As a reaction to drought, BA showed reduced biomass under elevated CO 2 , which was not seen in GP . Grain yield and harvest index ( HI ) were negatively influenced by drought and increased by CO 2 enrichment. BA formed higher grain yield and had higher water‐use efficiency of grain yield and HI compared to GP . CO 2 fertilization compensated for the negative effect of drought on grain yield and HI , especially in GP . Stomatal conductance proved to be the gas exchange parameter most sensitive to drought. Photosynthetic rate of BA showed more pronounced reaction to drought compared to GP . Overall, BA turned out to respond more intense to changes in water supply and CO 2 enrichment than the older GP .