Abstract
SummaryThe yield response of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Davis) to simulated acid rain in the presence of ambient or less‐than‐ambient levels of gaseous pollution was determined in the field. Open‐top chambers were used to alter the levels of gaseous pollutants. An automatic rain simulation system was used to exclude ambient rain and apply rain simulants during natural rain events. These simulations mimicked natural rain events with respect to volume, duration, intensity and frequency. In addition, the intervals between simulated and natural rain events were the same, and therefore many of the potential experimental artifacts associated with scheduled rain simulant applications in earlier research were avoided. Variables measured in the experiment included seed, oil, and protein yield, stem weight, numbers of pods and seeds, and weight per seed. There were no statistically significant rain or chamber treatment effects on the measured variables except for weight per seed and protein yield. The presence of open‐top chambers, when compared with plots without chambers, caused yield variables to be reduced 15 to 20%. There was no evidence to suggest that the response to rain acidity was affected by exposure to ambient or less‐than‐ambient levels of gaseous pollution.
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