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Analysis of Effects of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Ozone on Cotton Yield Trends
Author(s) -
Reddy V. R.,
Baker D. N.,
McKinion J. M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1989.00472425001800040005x
Subject(s) - lint , yield (engineering) , environmental science , carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere , carbon dioxide , ozone , crop , cultivar , agronomy , fiber crop , gossypium hirsutum , crop yield , horticulture , chemistry , biology , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy
Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields have declined since 1964 despite improvements in technology and introductions of higher‐yielding cultivars. Cotton scientists have been unable to identify exact causes of the yield decline. For the past 25 yr, global atmospheric CO 2 concentration ([CO 2 ]) has been increasing due to the increased burning of fossil fuels; cotton has been found to be sensitive to [CO 2 ]. Cotton has also been found to be sensitive to atmospheric ozone concentration ([O 3 ]) at levels that occur regularly where it is grown. To analyze the effects of [CO 2 ] and [O 3 ] on cotton‐yield trends, simulations were made using the cotton crop model GOSSYM. Input data for simulations were obtained from cotton breeders' trial sites located at Florence, SC; Stoneville, MS; College Station, TX; Phoenix, AZ; and Fresno, CA. The simulated effects of the [CO 2 ] and [O 3 ] on cotton yields changed from location to location due to interactions with soil, plant, and atmospheric variables and with nutrient levels in the soil. Given enough N, the increased [CO 2 ] would probably result in a 10% increase in lint yield. Due to N stress sometime during the growing season, however, the plants could not fully utilize the increased [CO 2 ]. Ozone concentration increased during the period of cotton‐yield decline, and this increase in [O 3 ] was found to affect simulated cotton yields adversely. It appears that O 3 is one of the contributing factors to the yield decline. Overall O 3 had a more adverse effect on simulated cotton yields at locations where O 3 was present at higher concentrations, i.e., Phoenix, AZ and Fresno, CA.