Agronomic and physiological responses of wheat grown in split-column under elevated CO2

Abstract

Increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentration ([CO 2 ]) has profound effects on plant growth, yield and water use. Elevated atmospheric [CO 2 ] (e[CO 2 ]) increases above- and below ground biomass production of wheat. The increased root growth under e[CO 2 ] may allow the extraction of subsoil water, which is especially important in hot and dry Mediterranean conditions when the top soil dries off quickly. A glasshouse experiment was conducted with hydraulically separated top and bottom layered soil column to investigate the effect of soil drying at different depths on growth and gas exchange of wheat under e[CO 2 ]. Drought stress was induced either in the top or the bottom soil layer or both by..