Skip to main content
Log in

Elevated CO2 concentration enhances the role of the ear to the flag leaf in determining grain yield of wheat

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:
Photosynthetica

Abstract

Net photosynthetic rate (P N) of ear and flag leaf during grain filling stage and grain yield of plants with non-darkened or darkened flag leaf or darkened ear were examined in two different CO2 concentrations: ambient (AC) and AC+200 µmol mol−1 (EC). Ear showed much higher enhancement (56 %) of P N than flag leaf (23 %) under EC. Moreover, CO2 enrichment shortened the photosynthetic duration of flag leaf relative to ear. In this way the ratio of ear to flag leaf contribution to grain yield increased from 1.18 (AC) to 1.39 (EC).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Abbreviations

DAG:

days after grain filling

FACE:

free-air CO2 enrichment

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

References

  • Ainsworth, E.A., Long, S.P.: What have we learned from 15 years of free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE)? A meta-analytic review of the responses of photosynthesis, canopy properties and plant production to rising CO2.-New Phytol. 165: 351–371, 2005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, R.A.: It’s official: humans are behind most of global warming.-Science 291: 566, 2001.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knoppik, D., Selinger, H., Ziegler-Jöns, A.: Differences between the flag leaf and the ear of a spring wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum cv. Arkas) with respect to the CO2 response of assimilation, respiration and stomatal conductance.-Physiol. Plant. 68: 451–457, 1986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, S.P.: Modification of the response of photosynthetic productivity to rising temperature by atmospheric CO2 concentrations: has its importance been underestimated?-Plant Cell Environ. 14: 729–739, 1991.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long, S.P., Ainsworth, E.A., Rogers, A., Ort, D.R.: Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Plants face the future.-Annu. Rev. Plant Biol. 55: 591–628, 2004.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Okada, M., Lieffering, M., Nakamura, H., Yoshimoto, M., Kim, H.Y., Kobayashi, K.: Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) using pure CO2 injection: system description.-New Phytol. 150: 251–260, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez, P., Zita, G., Morcuende, R., Martínez-Carrasco, R.: Elevated CO2 and temperature differentially affect photosynthesis and resource allocation in flag and penultimate leaves of wheat.-Photosynthetica 45: 9–17, 2007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsung, F., Garcia, R.L., Wall, G.W., Kartschall, T., Kimball, B., Michaelis, P., Pinter, P.J., Jr., Wechsung, G., Grossman-Clarke, S., Lamorte, R.L., Adamsen, F.J., Leavitt, S.W., Thompson, T.L., Matthias, A.D., Brooks, T.J.: Photosynthesis and conductance of spring wheat ears: field response to free-air CO2 enrichment and limitations in water and nitrogen supply.-Plant Cell Environ. 23: 917–929, 2000.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. -W. Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhu, C.W., Zhu, J.G., Liu, G. et al. Elevated CO2 concentration enhances the role of the ear to the flag leaf in determining grain yield of wheat. Photosynthetica 46, 318–320 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-008-0059-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-008-0059-z

Additional key words

Navigation