Root growth of winter whet under elevated carbon dioxide and drought. [Triticum aestivum L. Newton]

Journal Article · · Crop Science; (USA)

OSTI ID:5950745

Chaudhuri, U N; Kirkham, M B; Kanemasu, E T ^[1]

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1. Kansas State Univ., Manhattan (USA)

With the atmospheric concentration of CO{sub 2} increasing, it is important to know how this will affect crop growth. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of enriched CO{sub 2} on root growth of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Newton) under both well-watered and dry conditions. The wheat was grown for 3 yr in 16 plastic chambers in the field under ambient CO{sub 2} (340 {mu}L L{sup {minus}1}) and elevated levels of CO{sub 2} (485, 660, and 825 {mu}L L{sup {minus}1}). Half of the boxes were maintained at field capacity (0.38 m{sup 3} m{sup {minus}3}) (well-watered or not stressed plants) and half between 0.14 to 0.25 m{sup 3} m{sup {minus}3} (drought-stressed plants). At harvest, root dry weights at different depths and stem dry weight were determined. Roots of plants grown under the three elevated levels of CO{sub 2} penetrated to the maximum depth of observation (176 cm) before roots of plants grown under the ambient level. At harvest, the difference in root growth between elevated and ambient levels of CO{sub 2} was most pronounced at the top level (0- to 10-cm depth). Roots of drought-stressed plants grown with 825 {mu}L L{sup {minus}1} CO{sub 2} had a greater dry weight than roots of well-watered plants grown with ambient CO{sub 2}. The ratio of root to stem weight usually showed no trend (neither increase or decrease) with increasing CO{sub 2} concentration. Total dry weight at harvest of well-watered root grown at ambient CO{sub 2} (3-yr mean: 118 g m{sup {minus}2}) was similar to that of drought-stressed roots grown at the highest level of CO{sub 2} (3-yr mean: 123 g m{sup {minus}2}). The results indicated that high CO{sub 2} (825 {mu}L L{sup {minus}1}) can compensate for restrictions in root growth by drought.

• OSTI ID: 5950745
• Journal Information: Crop Science; (USA), Vol. 30:4; ISSN 0011-183X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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