Li, Y., Yu, Z., Yang, S., Jin, J.,
Wang, G., Liu, C., Herbert, S.J.
and Liu, X.
2019
Soybean
intra-specific
genetic variation
in response to
elevated CO2.
Archives of Agronomy
and Soil Science
65: 1733-1744.
NOTE:
Li et al. (2019) say
northeast China is
"the main soybean
producing area, accounting
for more than half [the]
soybean production in China,
with approximately 600
soybean cultivars released
by the end of the last century."
There has been
a lack of resources
devoted to investigating
the yield responses
of these cultivars
to elevated
concentrations
of atmospheric CO2.
Such knowledge will
"fundamentally benefit
future breeding
strategies to
enhance soybean
adaptability to the
elevated CO2
environment
[of the future]."
SUMMARY:
Li et al. report that
elevated CO2 increased
above-ground dry weight,
the number of seeds
and the number of pods
by an average of +23.7%,
+62.7% and +37.6%
across the 24 cultivars,
respectively.
Soybean seed yield
was also enhanced
under elevated CO2
by an average +33.1%
(ranging from +3% to +95%
depending on the cultivar).
Elevated CO2 stimulated
a number of photosynthetic
traits, including net
photosynthesis and
leaf chlorophyll
concentration,
which the authors say
led to "greater biomass
accumulation during
the reproductive stages.
DETAILS:
A team of eight scientists
set out to examine
the yield response
of 24 soybean cultivars
to elevated CO2.
The work was conducted
in pots in open-top chambers
at the Northeast Institute
of Geography and Agroecology
at the Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Harbin, China.
Elevated CO2
(580 ppm, or 190 ppm
above ambient CO2 levels)
was applied for 24 hours
per day for the entire
growing season and
all plants were maintained
under well-watered and
fertilized conditions.
