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Soybean Dry Matter Allocation under Subambient and Superambient Levels of Carbon Dioxide
Author(s) -
Allen L. H.,
Bisbal E. C.,
Boote K. J.,
Jones P. H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1991.00021962008300050020x
Subject(s) - dry matter , carbon dioxide , dry weight , carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere , yield (engineering) , specific leaf area , sowing , horticulture , chemistry , agronomy , zoology , botany , biology , photosynthesis , materials science , metallurgy , organic chemistry
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration [CO 2 ] is expected to cause increases in crop growth and yield. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of subambient, as well as superambient, [CO 2 ] on soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] dry matter production and allocation for two reasons: to assess response of plants to prehistoric as well as future expected CO 2 levels and to increase confidence in [CO 2 ] response curves by imposing a wide range of [CO 2 ] treatments. Soybean was grown in outdoor, sunlit, controlled‐environment chambers at CO 2 levels of 160, 220, 280, 330, 660, and 990 µmol (CO 2 ) mol −1 (air). Total dry matter growth rates during the linear phase of vegetative growth were 5.0, 8.4, 10.9, 12.5, 18.2, and 20.7 g m −2 d −1 for the above respective [CO 2 ]. Samples taken from 24 to 94 d after planting showed that the percentage of total plant mass in leaf trifoliolates decreased with increasing [CO 2 ] whereas the percentage in structural components (petioles and stems) increased. At final harvest the respective [CO 2 ] treatments resulted in 38, 53, 62, 100, 120, and 92% seed yield with respect to the 330 µmol mol −1 treatment. Total dry weight responses were similar. Late season spider mite damage of the 990 and 280 µmol mol −1 treatments reduced yields. These data confirm not only that rising CO 2 should increase plant growth, but also that plant growth was probably seriously limited by atmospheric [CO 2 ] in preindustrial revolution times back to the previous global glaciation.