Growth and yield responses of potato to mixtures of carbon dioxide and ozone.

Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere can stimulate plant growth and yield, whereas ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations cause the opposite effect in many areas of the world. Recent experiments show that elevated CO2 can protect some plants from O3 stress, but this has not been tested for most crop species. Our objective was to determine if elevated CO2 protects Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) from foliar injury and suppression of growth and yield caused by O3. An O3-resistant cultivar (Superior) and an O3-sensitive cultivar (Dark Red Norland) were exposed from within 10 d after emergence to maturity to mixtures of three CO2 and three O3 treatments in open-top field chambers. The three CO2 treatments were ambient (370 microL L(-1)) and two treatments with CO2 added to ambient CO2 for 24 h d(-1) (540 and 715 microL L(-1)). The O3 treatments were charcoal-filtered air (15 nL L(-1)), nonfiltered air (45 nL L(-1)), and nonfiltered air with O3 added for 12 h d(-1) (80 nL L(-1)). Elevated O3 and CO2 caused extensive foliar injury of Dark Red Norland, but caused only slight injury of Superior. Elevated CO2 increased growth and tuber yield of both cultivars, whereas elevated O3 generally suppressed growth and yield, mainly of Dark Red Norland. Elevated CO2 appeared to protect Dark Red Norland from O3-induced suppression of shoot, root, and tuber weight as measured at midseason but did not protect either cultivar from O3 stress at the final harvest. The results further illustrate the difficulty in predicting effects of O3 + CO2 mixtures based on the effects of the individual gases.

Growth and yield responses of snap bean to mixtures of carbon dioxide and ozone.

Elevated CO2 concentrations expected in the 21st century can stimulate plant growth and yield, whereas tropospheric O3 suppresses plant growth and yield in many areas of the world. Recent experiments showed that elevated CO2 often protects plants from O3 stress, but this has not been tested for many important crop species including snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The objective of this study was to determine if elevated CO2 protects snap bean from O3 stress. An O3-tolerant cultivar (Tenderette) and an O3-sensitive selection (S156) were exposed from shortly after emergence to maturity to mixtures of CO2 and O3 in open-top field chambers. The two CO2 treatments were ambient and ambient with CO2 added for 24 h d(-1) resulting in seasonal 12 h d(-1) (0800-2000 h EST) mean concentrations of 366 and 697 microL L(-1), respectively. The two O3 treatments were charcoal-filtered air and nonfiltered air with O3 added for 12 h d(-1) to achieve seasonal 12 h d(-1) (0800-2000 h EST) mean concentrations of 23 and 72 nL L(-1), respectively. Elevated CO2 significantly stimulated growth and pod weight of Tenderette and S156, whereas elevated O3 significantly suppressed growth and pod weight of S156 but not of Tenderette. The suppressive effect of elevated O3 on pod dry weight of S156 was approximately 75% at ambient CO2 and approximately 60% at elevated CO2 (harvests combined). This amount of protection from O3 stress afforded by elevated CO2 was much less than reported for other crop species. Extreme sensitivity to O3 may be the reason elevated CO2 failed to significantly protect S156 from O3 stress.