Crop Growth Responses Towards Elevated Atmospheric CO2

The projected rise in global elevated atmospheric CO2 level has well-pronounced impact on plant ecophysiology and economic productivity. Elevated atmospheric CO2 accelerated the leaf-level photosynthesis in C3 plants, reduced stomatal conductance, and enhanced resource use efficiency. The sensitivity was comparatively less for C4 and CAM plants. Under sufficient nutrient availability, the net increase in leaf-level assimilation amplified the net grain yield under elevated atmospheric CO2 exposure. However, the relative response in biomass partitioning pattern often varied among the individual crop species. Thus, the net impact on harvest index (HI) varied from one crop species to another. We also observed that the CO2 enrichment facilities have marked influence on the reported magnitude and pattern of crop response towards elevated atmospheric CO2 environment.