S. W. Leavitt

Leaf nitrogen concentration of wheat subjected to elevated [CO2] and either water or N deficits

Leaf N concentration is important because it is associated with the CO2 assimilatory capacity of crops, and in grasslands, it is an important determinant of forage nutritive value. Consequently, the productivity of both domestic and native animals in future global environments may be closely linked to possible changes in leaf N concentration of grasses. Since grasslands are frequently subjected to water-deficit or N-deficit conditions, it is important to investigate the interactive responses between elevated [CO2] and these stress conditions. Therefore, this 4-year research program was undertaken with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as a model system for forage grasses, to document the potential changes in leaf N concentration in response to global environment changes. Wheat crops grown under field conditions near Phoenix, AZ, USA, were subjected to elevated [CO2] and either water-deficit or N-deficit treatments using large Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE) arrays. Surprisingly, the elevated [CO2] treatment under optimum conditions resulted in little change in leaf N concentration. Therefore, no change in the nutritive value of forage from highly managed pastures would be expected. Further, water-deficit treatment had little influence on leaf N concentration. To some extent, the lack of response to the water-deficit treatment resulted because severe deficits did not develop until late in the growing seasons. Only on one date late in the season was the water-deficit treatment found to result in decreased leaf N concentration. The low N treatment in combination with elevated [CO2], however, had a large influence on leaf N concentration. Low levels of applied N resulted in decreased leaf N concentration under both [CO2] treatments, but the lowest levels of leaf N concentration were obtained under elevated [CO2] through much of the growing season. These results point to a potential problem with grasslands in that the nutritive value of the forage consumed by animals will be decreased under future global environment changes.

CO2 enrichment and soil nitrogen effects on wheat evapotranspiration and water use efficiency

Evapotranspiration (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE) were evaluated for two spring wheat crops, grown in a well-watered, subsurface drip-irrigated field under ambient (about 370 mmol mol 1 during daytime) and enriched (200mmol mol 1 above ambient) CO2 concentrations during 1995‐1996 and 1996‐1997 in Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiments in central Arizona. The enriched (FACE) and ambient (Control) CO2 treatments were replicated in four, circular plots, each 25 m in diameter. Two soil nitrogen (N) treatments, ample (High N) and limited (Low N), were imposed on one-half of each circular plot. Wheat ET, determined using soil water balance procedures, was significantly greater in High N than Low N treatments starting in late-March (anthesis) during both years. Differences in ET between CO2 treatments during the seasons were generally small and not statistically significant, however, there was a tendency for the ET to be lower for FACE than Control under the High N treatment. The reduction in the cumulative seasonal ET due to FACE averaged 3.7 and 4.0% under High N and 0.7 and 1.2% under Low N in the first and second years, respectively. However, WUE (grain yield per unit seasonal ET) was significantly increased for the FACE treatment under both soil N treatments. For the High N treatment, the WUE was 19 and 23% greater for FACE than Control and for the Low N treatment the WUE was 12 and 7% greater for FACE than Control in the 2 years, respectively. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.