title: Comment on 'improving ecophysiological simulation models to predict the impact of elevated CO(2) concentration on crop productivity' by X. Yin.
abstract: The recent publication by Yin (2013; Annals of Botany 112: 465-475) referred to in the title above provides an excellent review of modelling approaches to predict the impact of elevated CO2 on crop productivity, as well as on the controversy regarding whether yield responses observed in free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments are indeed lower than those from chamber-based experiments. However, the wheat experiments in the example of fig. 1 in Yin's paper had a flaw as the control plots lacked blowers that were in the FACE plots, which warmed the FACE plots at night and hastened plant development. This Viewpoint seeks to highlight this fact, and to comment on the relative merits of FACE and enclosure experiments.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, 21881 North Cardon Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138, USA. bruce.kimball@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kimball
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D008962:Models, Theoretical
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon
keywords: FACE; climate change; crop models; elevated CO2; free-air CO2 enrichment; global change; wheat