ISHS Acta Horticulturae 162: Symposium on CO2 Enrichment
EFFECTS OF CO2 CONCENTRATION ON GROWTH AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS OF YOUNG TOMATO AND CARNATION PLANTS |
| Author: | G.T. Bruggink |
| Abstract:
Growth analysis and photosynthesis experiments were carried out with young tomato and carnation plants at different levels of CO2 enrichment. While raising the CO2 concentration from ambient to 1000 ppm increases photosynthesis strongly in short term experiments, long term growth increases much less, 40–50% increase in photosynthesis versus less than 15% increase in Relative Growth Rate. Two plant adaptations seem to be responsible for this discrepancy. At higher CO2 concentrations leaf thickness increases, which means a decrease in Leaf Area Ratio, an important parameter for growth of young plants. Also photosynthesis decreases after prolonged CO2 enrichment. For carnation maximum photosynthesis decreases about 15% while carboxylation efficiency decreases about 40% after 8 weeks at 1000 ppm CO2. For tomato these changes were of the same order of magnitude. As there were no after-effects found on stomatal resistance for either tomato or carnation this effect may be explained as an increase in mesophyll or carboxylation resistance. | |
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