Effects of High Atmospheric CO2 and Sink Size on Rates of Photosynthesis of a Soybean Cultivar

Abstract

The effect of sink strength on photosynthetic rates under conditions of long-term exposure to high CO(2) has been investigated in soybean. Soybean plants (Merr. cv. Fiskeby V) were grown in growth chambers containing 350 microliters CO(2) per liter air until pod set. At that time, plants were trimmed to three trifoliolate leaves and either 21 pods (high sink treatment) or 6 pods (low sink treatment). Trimmed plants were either left in 350 microliters CO(2) per liter of air or placed in 1000 microliters CO(2) per liter of air (high CO(2) treatment) until pod maturity. Whole plant net photosynthetic rates of all plants were measured twice weekly, both at 350 microliters CO(2) per liter of air and 1000 microliters CO(2) per liter of air. Plants were also harvested at this time for dry weight measurements. Photosynthetic rates of high sink plants at both measurement CO(2) concentrations were consistently higher than those of low sink plants, and those of plants given the 350 microliter CO(2) per liter of air treatment were higher at both measurement CO(2) concentrations than those of plants given the 1000 microliters CO(2) per liter of air treatment. When plants were measured under treatment CO(2) levels, however, rates were higher in 1,000 microliter plants than 350 microliter CO(2) plants. Dry weights of all plant parts were higher in the 1,000 microliters CO(2) per liter air treatment than in the 350 microliters CO(2) per liter air treatment, and were higher in the low sink than in the high sink treatments.