Dong, J., Grylls, S., Hunt, J.,
Armstrong, R., Delhaize, E.
and Tang, C.
2019
"Elevated CO2
(free-air CO2 enrichment)
increases grain yield
of aluminum-resistant,
but not aluminum-sensitive
wheat (Triticum aestivum),
grown in an acid soil."
Annals of Botany
123: 461-468
Dong et al. wrote that
"elevated CO2 increased
grain yield of all wheat lines
by an average of +20%
(P = 0.027),"
although the two aluminum
toxicity-sensitive lines
had non-significant
differences.
Dong et al. also report
that elevated CO2
"did not affect
grain quality in terms
of protein and mineral
concentrations."
The authors
conclude that,
with rising CO2 levels,
it would be wise
for wheat breeders
to maintain
aluminum-resistant
genes to maximize
wheat grain yields
on acidic soils
in the future.
Dong et al. (2019)
note that
acidic soils
comprise
approximately
half of the area
of the world's
arable lands,
which often
reduces the yields
of most crops.
Scientists
and farmers
are searching for
and developing
crops that counter
negative effects
of soil acidity.
which mainly results from
aluminum soil toxicity,
or phosphorus deficiency
(or a combination of both ).
Aluminum-resistant genes
have been identified
in certain crops
(e.g., wheat lines).
There's not much information
on this topic, especially how
rising atmospheric CO2
would impact crop growth
and yields under
acidic conditions.
The six scientists
examined effects
of elevated CO2
on the grain yield
of six wheat lines
(Triticum aestivum).
four of which carried
aluminum toxicity-resistant genes
(ET8, Egret TaMATE1B, EGA-Burke
and EGA-Burke TaMATE1B)
and two of which carried
aluminum toxicity-sensitive genes
(ES8 and Egret).
The wheat lines were grown
in columns of acidic soils
(made acidic by aluminum)
in a free-air CO2 enrichment
(FACE) environment under
ambient (400 ppm) CO2,
or elevated (550 ppm) CO2,
for a full growing season.
at the SoilFACE facility
at Horsham, Victoria,
Australia.
