Canopy warming caused photosynthetic acclimation and reduced seed yield in maize grown at ambient and elevated [CO₂]

Abstract

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2 ]) and attendant increases in growing season temperature are expected to be the most important global change factors impacting production agriculture. Although maize is the most highly produced crop worldwide, few studies have evaluated the interactive effects of elevated [CO2 ] and temperature on its photosynthetic physiology, agronomic traits or biomass, and seed yield under open field conditions. This study investigates the effects of rising [CO2 ] and warmer temperature, independently and in combination, on maize grown in the field throughout a full growing season. Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) technology was used to target atmospheric [CO2 ] to 200 μmol mol(-1) above ambient [CO2 ] and infrared heaters to target a plant canopy increase of 3.5 °C, with actual season mean heating of ~2.7 °C, mimicking conditions predicted by the second half of this century. Photosynthetic gas-exchange parameters, leaf nitrogen and carbon content, leaf water potential components, and developmental measurements were collected throughout the season, and biomass and yield were measured at the end of the growing season. As predicted for a C4 plant, elevated [CO2 ] did not stimulate photosynthesis, biomass, or yield. Canopy warming caused a large shift in aboveground allocation by stimulating season-long vegetative biomass and decreasing reproductive biomass accumulation at both CO2 concentrations, resulting in decreased harvest index. Warming caused a reduction in photosynthesis due to down-regulation of photosynthetic biochemical parameters and the decrease in the electron transport rate. The reduction in seed yield with warming was driven by reduced photosynthetic capacity and by a shift in aboveground carbon allocation away from reproduction. This field study portends that future warming will reduce yield in maize, and this will not be mitigated by higher atmospheric [CO2 ] unless appropriate adaptation traits can be introduced into future cultivars.

Biomass sorghum and maize have similar water-use-efficiency under non-drought conditions in the rain-fed Midwest U.S.

“…When subjected to a 4 °C temperature increase in chamber studies, maize grain yield was found to decrease by 84-100% while vegetative biomass was less affected (Hatfield, 2016). Less severe reductions in maize grain yield have been documented in field studies (Ruiz-Vera et al, 2015). For example, Ruiz-Vera et al (2015) found that elevated temperature decreased maize yield by 14% but increased vegetative biomass production by 16%.…”

“…Less severe reductions in maize grain yield have been documented in field studies (Ruiz-Vera et al, 2015). For example, Ruiz-Vera et al (2015) found that elevated temperature decreased maize yield by 14% but increased vegetative biomass production by 16%. The previously mentioned mechanisms that increase drought-tolerance in sorghum may also buffer the adverse effects of temperature.…”

“…The response of maize growth to elevated temperature has been studied in the literature ( -Vera et al, 2015;Hatfield, 2016). When subjected to a 4 °C temperature increase in chamber studies, maize grain yield was found to decrease by 84-100% while vegetative biomass was less affected (Hatfield, 2016).…”

“…Since growth in biomass sorghum is primarily vegetative, it may be less sensitive to the projected increase in consecutive dry days during in the late summer (Aug-Sep), that may coincide with the timing of critical reproductive processes in maize (Harding & Snyder, 2014;Hoffmann & Rooney, 2014;Ruiz-Vera et al, 2015;Hatfield, 2016). Previous research has…”

Elevated CO2 and temperature increase soil C losses from a soybean–maize ecosystem

“…Observed maize yields averaged 423 ± 15 g C m -2 in ambient plots and 412 ± 44 in eCO 2 plots (Leakey et al, 2006;Markelz et al, 2011;Ruiz-Vera et al, 2015); modeled yields for the same years were 432 ± 38 and 460 ± 22 g C m -2 , respectively.…”