TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of free air carbon dioxide enrichment combined with two nitrogen levels on growth, yield and yield quality of sugar beet

T2 - Evidence for a sink limitation of beet growth under elevated CO2

AU - Manderscheid, Remy

AU - Pacholski, A.

AU - Weigel, Hans-Joachim

PY - 2010/4/1

Y1 - 2010/4/1

N2 - The increase in atmospheric CO 2 concentration [CO 2] has been demonstrated to stimulate the growth of C 3 crops. However, little information exists about the effect of elevated [CO 2] on biomass production of sugar beet, and data from field experiments are lacking. In this study, sugar beet was grown within a crop rotation over two rotation cycles (2001, 2004) at present and elevated [CO 2] (375 μl l -1 and 550 μl l -1) in a free air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) system and at two levels of nitrogen supply [high (N2), and 50% of high (N1)], in Braunschweig, Germany. The objective of the present study was to determine the CO 2 effect on seasonal changes of leaf growth and on final biomass and sugar yield. Shading treatment was included to test whether sugar beet growth is sink limited under elevated [CO 2]. CO 2 elevation did not affect leaf number but increased individual leaf size in early summer resulting in a faster row closure under both N levels. In late summer CO 2 enrichment increased the fraction of senescent leaves under high but not low N supply, which contributed to a negative CO 2 effect on leaf area index and canopy chlorophyll content under high N at final harvest. Petioles contained up to 40% water-soluble carbohydrates, which were hardly affected by CO 2 but increased by N supply. More N increased biomass production by 21% and 12% in 2001 and 2004, respectively, while beet and sugar yield was not influenced. Concentration of α-amino N in the beet fresh weight was increased under low N and decreased under high N by CO 2 enrichment. The CO 2 response of total biomass, beet yield and white sugar yield was unaffected by N supply. Averaged over both N levels elevated [CO 2] increased total biomass by 7% and 12% in 2001 and 2004, respectively, and white sugar yield by 12% and 13%. The shading treatment in 2004 prevented the decrease in leaf area index under elevated [CO 2] and high N in September. Moreover, the CO 2 effect on total biomass (24%) and white sugar yield (28%) was doubled as compared to the unshaded conditions. It is concluded that the growth of the storage root of sugar beet is not source but sink limited under elevated [CO 2], which minimizes the potential CO 2 effect on photosynthesis and beet yield.

AB - The increase in atmospheric CO 2 concentration [CO 2] has been demonstrated to stimulate the growth of C 3 crops. However, little information exists about the effect of elevated [CO 2] on biomass production of sugar beet, and data from field experiments are lacking. In this study, sugar beet was grown within a crop rotation over two rotation cycles (2001, 2004) at present and elevated [CO 2] (375 μl l -1 and 550 μl l -1) in a free air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) system and at two levels of nitrogen supply [high (N2), and 50% of high (N1)], in Braunschweig, Germany. The objective of the present study was to determine the CO 2 effect on seasonal changes of leaf growth and on final biomass and sugar yield. Shading treatment was included to test whether sugar beet growth is sink limited under elevated [CO 2]. CO 2 elevation did not affect leaf number but increased individual leaf size in early summer resulting in a faster row closure under both N levels. In late summer CO 2 enrichment increased the fraction of senescent leaves under high but not low N supply, which contributed to a negative CO 2 effect on leaf area index and canopy chlorophyll content under high N at final harvest. Petioles contained up to 40% water-soluble carbohydrates, which were hardly affected by CO 2 but increased by N supply. More N increased biomass production by 21% and 12% in 2001 and 2004, respectively, while beet and sugar yield was not influenced. Concentration of α-amino N in the beet fresh weight was increased under low N and decreased under high N by CO 2 enrichment. The CO 2 response of total biomass, beet yield and white sugar yield was unaffected by N supply. Averaged over both N levels elevated [CO 2] increased total biomass by 7% and 12% in 2001 and 2004, respectively, and white sugar yield by 12% and 13%. The shading treatment in 2004 prevented the decrease in leaf area index under elevated [CO 2] and high N in September. Moreover, the CO 2 effect on total biomass (24%) and white sugar yield (28%) was doubled as compared to the unshaded conditions. It is concluded that the growth of the storage root of sugar beet is not source but sink limited under elevated [CO 2], which minimizes the potential CO 2 effect on photosynthesis and beet yield.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - Beta vulgaris

KW - CO2

KW - Nitrogen

KW - Beet quality

KW - Sugar beet Yield

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75949095455&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.eja.2009.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.eja.2009.12.002

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:75949095455

VL - 32

SP - 228

EP - 239

JO - European Journal of Agronomy

JF - European Journal of Agronomy

SN - 1161-0301

IS - 3

ER -