Abstract
Atmospheric CO/sub 2/ levels are anticipated to rise from the current ambient level of ca. 350 ..mu..l/liter to 500-600 ..mu..l/liter in the next 50 to 75 years. Plant scientists are artificially enhancing the CO/sub 2/ environment of crop plants to increase photosynthesis, which is currently limited by inadequate levels of CO/sub 2/. It is not known how increases of CO/sub 2/ might affect consumers in the food chain. Population levels of sweet potato whitefly (SPWF), Bermisiaa tabaci (Gennadius), were assessed with sticky traps placed in a field experiment wherein cotton was grown in open-top field chambers that were enriched with CO/sub 2/ at levels approaching 200% ambient concentration levels. Although trapping started at the first of June, only an occasional SPWF was caught until early August. At that time populations began to increase at an exponential rate similar to that observed in commercial cotton fields in Arizona and California in previous years. There was no difference in rate of buildup of SPWF in ambient and CO/sub 2/-enriched chambers in either wet or dry irrigation treatment. Thus, it seems that raised CO/sub 2/ levels, either natural or artificial, do not affect SPWF populations.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
