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Growth and yield response of sweet potato to atmospheric CO/sub 2/ enrichment. [Ipomoea batatas]

Journal Article · · Crop Sci.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6384856

Tuber growth of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a sink that may be limited by source capacity under present ambient CO/sub 2/ levels. Hence, sweet potato may demonstrate more response to predicted increases in atmospheric CO/sub 2/ than many other annual plants. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the long-term effects of CO/sub 2/ enrichment on some physiological parameters, growth, and yield, as well as on the source-sink relationship in sweet potato at different stages of growth. Plants of the cultivar Georgia Jet were grown in controlled environment chambers at 350, 675, and 1000 ..mu..L L/sup -1/ CO/sub 2/. The temperature was 28/sup 0/C during 14-h days and 20/sup 0/C during 10-h nights. The photosynthetic photon flux density was 550 ..mu..mol m/sup -2/ s/sup -1/. The length of main stem, total branch length, number of branches, and leaf area were increased for plants grown at 675 or 1000 ..mu..L L/sup -1/ CO/sub 2/. The production of total dry matter of plants increased at each harvest interval in response to CO/sub 2/ enrichment but it was greatest in 1000 ..mu..L L/sup -1/ CO/sub 2/. Specific leaf weight also increased with increased CO/sub 2/ concentration. The number and diameter of tubers increased at high CO/sub 2/ concentration. At the final harvest, the dry weight of roots and tubers increased 1.8 and 2.6 times in plants grown at 675 and 1000 ..mu..L L/sup -1/ CO/sub 2/, respectively, compared to those grown at 350 ..mu..L L/sup -1/ CO/sub 2/. Carbon dioxide enrichment resulted in the modulation of sink capacity to enhance the production of tubers in sweet potato.

Research Organization:
Tuskegee Institute, AL
DOE Contract Number:
AS05-83ER60166
OSTI ID:
6384856
Journal Information:
Crop Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Crop Sci.; (United States) Vol. 25:6; ISSN CRPSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English