Response of cotton to varying CO[sub 2], irrigation, and nitrogen: Yield and growth

Journal Article · · Agronomy Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:6307431

Kimball, B A; Mauney, J R ^[1]

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1. Western Cotton Research Laboratories, Phoenix, AZ (United States)

The CO[sub 2] concentration of the atmosphere is increasing and is expected to double sometime near the middle of the next century. To determine the effects of such a CO[sub 2] increase on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth and productivity, a series of experiments from 1983 through 1987 were conducted with open-top CO[sub 2]-enriched field chambers at ample as well as limiting levels of water and N at Phoenix, AZ. Comparisons with open-field plots showed that there was a significant chamber effect, amounting to a 30% average increase in growth inside, but under dry conditions in 1985, the situation was reversed. No significant effects of CO[sub 2] on harvest index, root-shoot ratio, or lint percentage were found, so the primary effect of elevated CO[sub 2] was to produce plants that were larger. Comparing the results of 500 and 650 [mu]mol mol[sup [minus]1] CO[sub 2] treatments, the increments of growth from ambient (about 350 [mu]mol mol[sup [minus]1]) to 500 [mu]mol mol[sup [minus]1] were not significantly different from increments from 500 to 650 [mu]mol mol[sup [minus]1]. No statistically significant interactions were detected between CO[sub 2] level and either irrigation or nitrogen level, even when these variables were sufficiently low enough to limit growth. However, under well-maintained water stress conditions, the growth response to CO[sub 2] tended to be somewhat larger than under normal irrigation levels. Averaging over all the data available from these experiments, seed cotton yield (lint plus seed) and above-ground biomass were increased by 60 and 63%, respectively, by CO[sub 2] enrichment to 650 [mu]mol mol[sup [minus]1]. 24 refs., 4 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6307431
• Journal Information: Agronomy Journal; (United States), Vol. 85:3; ISSN 0002-1962
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CARBON DIOXIDE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
COTTON
GROWTH
IRRIGATION
NITROGEN
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
PLANTS
PRODUCTIVITY
YIELDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology