Nutrient Value of Fruits in Response to eCO₂

Abstract

There have been some studies related to the impact of eCO₂ on the change in nutrient constituents of plants exposed to eCO₂ continuously. Probably the most comprehensive investigation of CO₂ effects on vitamin C production in a horticultural crop—sour orange—was conducted by Idso and Idso (2001). In an atmospheric CO₂ enrichment experiment started in 1987, a 75 % increase in CO₂ content was observed to increase sour orange juice vitamin C concentration by approximately 5 % in average-type years when total fruit production was typically enhanced by 75 %. In abnormal years when the CO₂-induced increase in fruit production was greater, however, the increase in fruit vitamin C concentration was also greater, rising to 15 % when fruit production on the CO₂-enriched trees was 3.6 times greater than it was on the ambient-treatment trees. These findings have great significance for prevention of diseases such as scurvy and common cold in many countries where the intake of vitamin C is low and could be a positive impact of rising CO₂ in the atmosphere.