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The growth of soybean under free air [CO2] enrichment (FACE) stimulates photosynthesis while decreasing in vivo Rubisco capacity

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Abstract

Down-regulation of light-saturated photosynthesis (Asat) at elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, [CO2], has been demonstrated for many C3 species and is often associated with inability to utilize additional photosynthate and/or nitrogen limitation. In soybean, a nitrogen-fixing species, both limitations are less likely than in crops lacking an N-fixing symbiont. Prior studies have used controlled environment or field enclosures where the artificial environment can modify responses to [CO2]. A soybean free air [CO2] enrichment (FACE) facility has provided the first opportunity to analyze the effects of elevated [CO2] on photosynthesis under fully open-air conditions. Potential ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) carboxylation (Vc,max) and electron transport through photosystem II (Jmax) were determined from the responses of Asat to intercellular [CO2] (Ci) throughout two growing seasons. Mesophyll conductance to CO2 (gm) was determined from the responses of Asat and whole chain electron transport (J) to light. Elevated [CO2] increased Asat by 15–20% even though there was a small, statistically significant, decrease in Vc,max. This differs from previous studies in that Vc,max/Jmax decreased, inferring a shift in resource investment away from Rubisco. This raised the Ci at which the transition from Rubisco-limited to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate regeneration-limited photosynthesis occurred. The decrease in Vc,max was not the result of a change in gm, which was unchanged by elevated [CO2]. This first analysis of limitations to soybean photosynthesis under fully open-air conditions reveals important differences to prior studies that have used enclosures to elevate [CO2], most significantly a smaller response of Asat and an apparent shift in resources away from Rubisco relative to capacity for electron transport.

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Abbreviations

FACE :

Free air [CO2] enrichment

Rubisco :

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

RuBP :

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate

SoyFACE :

Soybean free air [CO2] enrichment

VPD :

Vapor pressure deficit

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Illinois Council for Food and Agricultural Research (CFAR), Archer Daniels Midland Company, Argonne National Laboratory, and USDA-ARS. The authors wish to acknowledge Emily Heaton, Dr. Andrew Leakey and Dr. Alistair Rogers for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Atmospheric Environment Section, Illinois State Water Survey, 2204 Griffith Drive, Champaign, IL 61820, USA

    Carl J. Bernacchi

  2. Photosynthesis Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

    Carl J. Bernacchi & Donald R. Ort

  3. Departments of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

    Patrick B. Morgan, Donald R. Ort & Stephen P. Long

Authors
  1. Carl J. Bernacchi
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  2. Patrick B. Morgan
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  3. Donald R. Ort
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  4. Stephen P. Long
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carl J. Bernacchi.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Terms and their associated units used throughout this paper

A :

Net carbon assimilation (µmol m−2 s−1)

A°:

Carbon assimilation assuming infinite stomatal conductance (µmol m−2 s−1)

A sat :

Light saturated photosynthesis (µmol m−2 s−1)

B:

Proportion of light at 464 nm wavelength (dimensionless, 0–1)

C i :

Leaf intercellular CO2 concentration (µmol mol−1)

[CO2]:

Atmospheric CO2 concentration (µmol mol−1)

Fm′:

Maximum light-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence during a light saturating pulse (relative units)

F s :

Steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (relative units)

Γ*:

Photosynthetic CO2 compensation point (µmol mol−1)

g m :

Mesophyll conductance (mol m−2 s−1 bar−1)

g s :

Stomatal conductance (mmol m−2 s−1)

J :

Rate of electron transport (µmol m−2 s−1)

J max :

Maximum rate of electron transport (µmol m−2 s−1)

l :

Stomatal limitation to photosynthesis (relative units, 0–1)

ΦPSII:

Quantum efficiency of photosystem II

Q :

Photosynthetic photon flux density (µmol m−2 s−1)

R d :

Mitochondrial respiration (µmol m−2 s−1)

T leaf :

Leaf temperature (°C)

V c,max :

Maximum velocity of carboxylation (µmol m−2 s−1)

VPD:

Vapor pressure deficit (kPa)

αb:

Leaf absorptance at 464 nm wavelength

αl:

Leaf absorptance

αr:

Leaf absorptance at 634 nm wavelength

β:

Fraction of absorbed quanta reaching PSII (%)

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Bernacchi, C.J., Morgan, P.B., Ort, D.R. et al. The growth of soybean under free air [CO2] enrichment (FACE) stimulates photosynthesis while decreasing in vivo Rubisco capacity. Planta 220, 434–446 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-004-1320-8

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