scholarly journals Impact of Ambient and Elevated [CO2] in Low Light Levels on Growth, Physiology and Nutrient Uptake of Tropical Perennial Legume Cover Crops

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 193
Author(s):  
Virupax C. Baligar ◽  
Marshall K. Elson ◽  
Zhenli He ◽  
Yuncong Li ◽  
Arlicelio de Q. Paiva ◽  
...  

At early stages of establishment of tropical plantation crops, inclusion of legume cover crops could reduce soil degradation due to erosion and nutrient leaching. As understory plants these cover crops receive limited irradiance and can be subjected to elevated CO2 at ground level. A glasshouse experiment was undertaken to assess the effects of ambient (450 µmol mol−1) and elevated (700 µmol mol−1) levels of [CO2] on growth, physiological changes and nutrient uptake of six perennial legume cover crops (Perennial Peanut, Ea-Ea, Mucuna, Pigeon pea, Lab lab, Cowpea) under low levels of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; 100, 200, and 400 µmol m−2 s−1). Overall, total and root dry biomass, total root length, specific leaf area, and relative growth rates were significantly influenced by levels of [CO2] and PPFD and cover crop species. With few exceptions, all the cover crops showed significant effects of [CO2], PPFD, and species on net photosynthesis (PN) and its components, such as stomatal conductance (gs) internal CO2 conc. (Ci), and transpiration (E). Increasing [CO2], from 450 to 700 μmol mol−1 and increasing PPFD from 100 to 400 μmol ּm−2 ּs−1 increased PN. Overall, the levels of [CO2], PPFD and species significantly affected total water use efficiency (WUETOTAL), instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEINST) and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEINTR). With some exceptions, increasing levels of [CO2] and PPFD increased all the WUE parameters. Interspecific differences were observed with respect to macro-micro nutrient uptake and use efficiency. With a few exceptions, increasing levels of [CO2] from 450 to 700 μmol mol−1 and PPFD from 100 to 400 μmol m−2 s−1 increased nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of all nutrients by cover crop species.

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1515
Author(s):  
V. C. Baligar ◽  
M. K. Elson ◽  
Z. He ◽  
Y. Li ◽  
A. de Q. Paiva ◽  
...  

In the early stages of the establishment of plantation crops such as cacao, perennial legume cover crops provide vegetative cover to reduce soil and nutrient loss by erosion. Light intensity at cover crop canopy levels greatly influences their adaptability and optimum growth. As tree crops mature, understory cover crops suffer from inadequate light intensity. A greenhouse experiment was undertaken with nine perennial legume cover crop species (Calopo, Ea-Ea, Jack Bean, Lab-Lab, Mucuna ana, Mucuna preta, Cowpea, Black Pigeon Pea and Mixed Pigeon Pea) to assess the effects of three photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFDs, µmol m−2 s−1) 180 (inadequate light), 450 (moderate light) and 900 (adequate light) on growth, physiological and nutrient uptake parameters. PPFD had highly significant effects on leaf, shoot and root growth parameters and increasing the light intensity from 180 to 900 µmol m−2 s−1 increased all growth parameters with the exception of specific leaf area. In all the legume cover crops, increasing the light intensity significantly increased the net assimilation rates (NAR), SPAD index and net photosynthesis (PN) and its components, stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Cover crop species, PPFD and their interactions significantly affected water flux (Vo) and various water use efficiency parameters (WUETOTAL, WUEINST and WUEINTR). Increasing the PPFD increased the WUE in all of the cover crops. Species and PPFD had highly significant effects on the uptake of macro- and micronutrients. Overall uptakes of all nutrients were increased with increases in the PPFD from 180 to 900 µmol m−2 s−1. With few exceptions, the nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of the nutrients was significantly influenced by species, PPFD and their interactions. Except for Mn, increasing the PPFD from 180 to 900 µmol m−2 s −1 increased the NUE for all the nutrients.


2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 236-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Chen ◽  
J. Dhungel ◽  
S. P. Bhattarai ◽  
M. Torabi ◽  
L. Pendergast ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 277-279 ◽  
pp. 528-535
Author(s):  
Oh Hyun Kyung ◽  
Yeonsook Choung

The response of Quercus mongolica, one of the major tree species in Northeast Asia and the most dominant deciduous tree in Korea, was studied in relation to elevated CO2 and the addition of nitrogen to soil in terms of its physiology and growth over two years. Plants were grown from seed at two CO2 conditions (ambient and 700 µL L-1) and with two levels of soil nitrogen supply (1.5 mM and 6.5 mM). Elevated CO2 was found to significantly enhance the photosynthesis rate and water use efficiency by 2.3-2.7 times and by 1.3-1.8 times, respectively. Over time within a growing season, there was a decreasing trend in the photosynthesis rate. However, the decrease was slower especially in two-year-old seedlings grown in elevated CO2 and high nitrogen conditions, suggesting that their physiological activity lasted relatively longer. Improved photosynthesis and water use efficiency as well as prolonged physiological activity under high CO2 condition resulted in an increase in biomass accumulation. That is, in elevated CO2, total biomass increased by 1.7 and 1.2 times, respectively, for one- and two-year-old seedlings with low nitrogen conditions, and by 1.8 and 2.6 times with high nitrogen conditions. This result indicates that the effect of CO2 on biomass is more marked in high nitrogen conditions. This, therefore, shows that the effect of CO2 is accelerated by the addition of nitrogen. With the increase in total biomass, the number of leaves and stem diameter increased significantly, and more biomass was allocated in roots, resulting in structural change. Overall, the elevated CO2 markedly stimulated the physiology and growth of Q. mongolica. This demonstrates that Q. mongolica is capable of exploiting an elevated CO2 environment. Therefore, it will remain a dominant species and continue to be a major CO2 sink in the future, even though other resources such as nitrogen can modify the CO2 effect.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebony G. Murrell ◽  
Swayamjit Ray ◽  
Mary E. Lemmon ◽  
Dawn S. Luthe ◽  
Jason P. Kaye

AbstractArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase plant nutrient uptake and chemical defense production, both of which can improve plants’ ability to resist insect herbivory. Cover crops—non-commercial species planted in between cash crops in a crop rotation—can naturally alter both soil nutrients and AMF. We tested whether different cover crop species alter AMF colonization, plant nutrient status and plant–insect interactions in a subsequent maize crop. Cover crop species were either non-mycorrhizal, non-leguminous (canola, forage radish), mycorrhizal non-leguminous (cereal rye, oats), mycorrhizal leguminous (clover, pea) or absent (fallow). We measured the cascading consequences of cover crop treatment on maize root AMF colonization, maize growth and performance of an herbivorous insect (European corn borer) feeding on the maize. Maize AMF colonization was greater in plots previously planted with mycorrhizal (rye, oats) than non-mycorrhizal (canola, radish) cover crops or no cover crop (fallow). AMF colonization was linked to increased plant phosphorous and nitrogen, and maize growth increased with low plant N:P. Induced jasmonic acid pathway plant defenses increased with increasing maize growth and AMF colonization. European corn borer survivorship decreased with lower plant N:P, and insect development rate decreased with increased induced plant defenses. Our data describe a cascade in which cover crop species selection can increase or decrease mycorrhizal colonization of subsequent maize crop roots, which in turn impacts phosphorus uptake and may affect herbivory resistance in the maize. These results suggest that farmers could select cover crop species to manage nutrient uptake and pest resistance, in order to amend or limit fertilizer and pesticide use.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Ropokis ◽  
Georgia Ntatsi ◽  
Constantinos Kittas ◽  
Nikolaos Katsoulas ◽  
Dimitrios Savvas

In areas characterized by mild winter climate, pepper is frequently cultivated in unheated greenhouses in which the temperature during the winter may drop to suboptimal levels. Under low temperature (LT) conditions, the uptake of nutrients may be altered in a different manner than that of the water and thus their uptake ratio, known as uptake concentration, may be different than in greenhouses with standard temperature (ST) conditions. In the present study, pepper plants of the cultivars “Sammy” and “Orangery”, self-grafted or grafted onto two commercial rootstocks (“Robusto” and “Terrano”), were cultivated in a greenhouse under either ST or LT temperature conditions. The aim of the study was to test the impact of grafting and greenhouse temperature on total yield, water use efficiency, and nutrient uptake. The LT regime reduced the yield by about 50% in “Sammy” and 33% in “Orangery”, irrespective of the grafting combination. Grafting of “Sammy” onto both “Robusto” and “Terrano” increased the total fruit yield by 39% and 34% compared with the self-grafted control, while grafting of “Orangery” increased the yield only when the rootstock was “Terrano”. The yield increase resulted exclusively from enhancement of the fruit number per plant. Both the water consumption and the water use efficiency were negatively affected by the LT regime, however the temperature effect interacted with the rootstock/scion combination. The LT increased the uptake concentrations (UC) of K, Ca, Mg, N, and Mn, while it decreased strongly that of P and slightly the UC of Fe and Zn. The UC of K and Mg were influenced by the rootstock/scion combination, however this effect interacted with the temperature regime. In contrast, the Ca, N, and P concentrations were not influenced by the grafting combination. The results of the present study show that the impact of grafting on yield and nutrient uptake in pepper depend not merely on the rootstock genotype, however on the rootstock/scion combination.


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