Next generation of elevated [CO2] experiments with crops: a critical investment for feeding the future world.
A rising global population and demand for protein-rich diets are increasing pressure to maximize agricultural productivity. Rising atmospheric [CO(2)] is altering global temperature and precipitation patterns, which challenges agricultural productivity. While rising [CO(2)] provides a unique opportunity to increase the productivity of C(3) crops, average yield stimulation observed to date is well below potential gains. Thus, there is room for improving productivity. However, only a fraction of available germplasm of crops has been tested for CO(2) responsiveness. Yield is a complex phenotypic trait determined by the interactions of a genotype with the environment. Selection of promising genotypes and characterization of response mechanisms will only be effective if crop improvement and systems biology approaches are closely linked to production environments, that is, on the farm within major growing regions. Free air CO(2) enrichment (FACE) experiments can provide the platform upon which to conduct genetic screening and elucidate the inheritance and mechanisms that underlie genotypic differences in productivity under elevated [CO(2)]. We propose a new generation of large-scale, low-cost per unit area FACE experiments to identify the most CO(2)-responsive genotypes and provide starting lines for future breeding programmes. This is necessary if we are to realize the potential for yield gains in the future.
Ainsworth
Elizabeth A
EA
US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service and Photosynthesis Research Unit, Urbana, IL, USA. lisa.ainsworth@ars.usda.gov
Beier
Claus
C
Calfapietra
Carlo
C
Ceulemans
Reinhart
R
Durand-Tardif
Mylene
M
Farquhar
Graham D
GD
Godbold
Douglas L
DL
Hendrey
George R
GR
Hickler
Thomas
T
Kaduk
Jörg
J
Karnosky
David F
DF
Kimball
Bruce A
BA
Körner
Christian
C
Koornneef
Maarten
M
Lafarge
Tanguy
T
Leakey
Andrew D B
AD
Lewin
Keith F
KF
Long
Stephen P
SP
Manderscheid
Remy
R
McNeil
David L
DL
Mies
Timothy A
TA
Miglietta
Franco
F
Morgan
Jack A
JA
Nagy
John
J
Norby
Richard J
RJ
Norton
Robert M
RM
Percy
Kevin E
KE
Rogers
Alistair
A
Soussana
Jean-Francois
JF
Stitt
Mark
M
Weigel
Hans-Joachim
HJ
White
Jeffrey W
JW
D000064:Acclimatization; D000388:Air; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005523:Food Supply; D005838:Genotype; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D010641:Phenotype; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D012107:Research Design
D002245:Carbon Dioxide