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Growth and Yield Responses of Field-Grown Sweetpotato to Elevated Carbon Dioxide

Dep. of Agric. Sci., Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, AL 36088
Dep. of Biology, Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, AL 36088
Dep. of Agric. Sci., Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, AL 36088
USDA-ARS, Western Cotton Res. Lab., 4135 E. Broadway, Phoenix, AZ 85040
Dep. of Agronomy and Horticultural, New Mexico State Univ., Box 30003, Dep. 3Q, Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003

^* Corresponding author (hilemand{at}acd.tusk.edu).

Root crops are important in developing countries, where food supplies are frequently marginal. Increases in atmospheric CO₂ usually lead to increases in plant growth and yield, but little is known about the response of root crops to CO₂ enrichment under field conditions. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of CO₂ enrichment on growth and yield of field-grown sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]. Plants were grown in open-top chambers in the field at four CO₂ levels ranging from 354 (ambient) to 665 µmol mol^–1 two growing seasons. Shoot growth was not affected significantly by elevated CO₂. Yield of storage roots increased 46 and 75% at the highest CO₂ level in the 2 yr. The yield enhancement occurred through increases in the number of storage roots in the first year and through increases in both the number and size of the storage roots in the second year. Storage-root/shoot ratios increased 44% and leaf nitrogen concentrations decreased by 24% at the highest CO₂ level. A comparison of plants grown in the open field to plants grown in open-top chambers at ambient CO₂ concentrations indicated that open-top chambers reduced shoot growth in the first year and storage-root yield in both years. These results are consistent with the majority of CO₂-enrichment studies done on pot-grown sweetpotato.

Received for publication August 4, 1994.