Effect of Elevated CO₂ on Wheat Crop: Mechanism and Impact

Abstract

In this manuscript, an effort has been made to analyze the 19 research studies with 82 experiments being conducted in 9 countries of the world. Selected studies based on growth, yield and yield components of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop under various CO₂ levels. Only the recently published real research studies (excluding models and mathematical tools based research) were considered in the study. More than 90% of research findings proved that elevated CO₂ have positive impact on growth, yield, and its components. The majority of the observations confirm that the elevated CO₂ improved the yield of crop due to significant increase in growth and growth parameters such as leaf area index, plant height, and leaf area duration. No doubt elevated CO₂ has positive impact on various growth and yield parameters but when considering the impact of climate change (elevated temperature, drought, and increasing concentration of anthropogenic gases such as CO and CH₄), the response of CO₂ will become negative. Even though elevated levels of CO₂ has potential to compensate the impact of other changes in climate and may create a path in future to meet the demand of burgeoning world population.

KEY WORDS:

• elevated CO₂
• wheat
• photosynthesis
• growth
• yield
• meta-analysis