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Nonstructural carbohydrates of soybean plants grown in subambient and superambient levels of CO2

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Abstract

Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration increases plant photosynthesis, biomass and carbohydrate accumulation. Since plants have grown in low CO2 (200 to 300 µmol mol−1) for the last several million years, how will they use extra photoassimilate as the atmospheric CO2 continues to rise? The objectives were to determine the effects of past, present and projected future levels of CO2 on diurnal and seasonal patterns of total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentration of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] tissues. Plants were grown at 160, 220, 280, 330, 660 and 990 µmol mol−1 CO2 in outdoor, sunlit chambers wherein CO2 uptake rates were measured continuously. Early morning and late afternoon plant samples were taken at eight dates. The TNC concentration of leaves, petioles and stems increased as CO2 increased. Canopy photosynthetic rates also increased with increasing CO2, apparently without any negative impact of increased leaf TNC. Concentrations of TNC in all vegetative tissues were lower in the morning than the afternoon, which indicates overnight mobilization and utilization of carbohydrates for growth processes. The concentration of TNC was lowest in all plant components during rapid vegetative growth at V8 to R2 developmental stages. Leaves of all plants, especially those grown in superambient CO2, contained large pools of TNC at plant maturity, which indicated that not all of the reserves were utilized for seed yield. Soybean cultivars for the future should be designed to utilize carbohydrates more readily for seed production so that greater benefit can be realized from rising atmospheric CO2.

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Author notes

  1. Evelin C. Bisbal

    Present address: Departmento Evaluacion de Tierras, Edif. No. 1, Area Universitaria, Apdo Postal 4653, Instituto de Investigacion Recursos Agroecologico, Maracay, 2101, Venezuela

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS and Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Bldg. 350, P.O. Box 110965, Gainesville, FL, 32611-09650, USA

    Leon H. Allen Jr.

  2. Agronomy Department, University of Florida, 304 Newell Hall, P.O. Box 110500, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0500, USA

    Evelin C. Bisbal & Kenneth J. Boote

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  1. Leon H. Allen Jr.
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  2. Evelin C. Bisbal
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  3. Kenneth J. Boote
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Allen, L.H., Bisbal, E.C. & Boote, K.J. Nonstructural carbohydrates of soybean plants grown in subambient and superambient levels of CO2 . Photosynthesis Research 56, 143–155 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006016009305

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