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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Plant Physiology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #364848

Research Project: Analysis and Quantification of G x E x M Interactions for Sustainable Crop Production

Location: Plant Physiology and Genetics Research

Title: Narrowing uncertainties in the effects of elevated CO2 on crops

Author
item TORETI, A - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item DERYNG, D - Institute Of Landscape Systems Analysis Of Leibniz Centre For Agricultural Landscape
item MULLER, C - Potsdam Institute
item Kimball, Bruce
item MOSER, G - Justus-Liebig University
item BOOTE, K - University Of Florida
item ASSENG, S - University Of Florida
item PUGH, T.A.M - University Of Birmingham
item VANUYTRECHT, E - University Of Leuven
item PLEIJEL, H - University Of Gothenburg
item WEBBER, H - Leibniz Centre
item DURAND, J - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
item DENTENER, F - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item CEGLAR, A - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item WANG, X - Laboratoire Des Sciences Du Climat Et De L'Environnement (LSCE)
item BADECK, F - Council For Agricultural Research And Ag Econcomy Analysis
item LECERF, R - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item Wall, Gerard - Gary
item VAN DEN BERG, M - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item HOEGY, P - University Of Hohenheim
item LOPEZ-LOZANO, R - Institut National De La Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
item ZAMPIERI, M - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item GALMARINI, S - European Commission-Joint Research Centre (JRC)
item ROSENZWEIG, C - Nasa Goddard Institute For Space Studies

Submitted to: Nature Food
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2020
Publication Date: 12/11/2020
Citation: Toreti, A., Deryng, D., Muller, C., Kimball, B.A., Moser, G., Boote, K., Asseng, S., Pugh, T., Vanuytrecht, E., Pleijel, H., Webber, H., Durand, J.L., Dentener, F., Ceglar, A., Wang, X., Badeck, F., Lecerf, R., Wall, G.W., Van Den Berg, M., Hoegy, P., Lopez-Lozano, R., Zampieri, M., Galmarini, S., Rosenzweig, C. 2020. Narrowing uncertainties in the effects of elevated CO2 on crops. Nature Food. 1:775-782. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00195-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00195-4

Interpretive Summary: The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing, so it is important that the models used to project future agricultural productivity can accurately simulate the effects of elevated CO2 on crop growth. Numerous experiments have been conducted to observe effects on crop growth, and their results are reviewed and summarized. However, it was noted that the experiments have primarily been conducted in Europe and the U.S. and none in Africa. Further, most experiments have been of short duration. The mechanisms by which CO2 affects plants and how they are simulated in most models are reviewed. Knowledge gaps are identified, and recommendations are made for steps that need to be taken to improve the accuracy of the models. This research benefits all consumers of food and fiber.

Technical Abstract: Plant responses to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, together with projected variations in temperature and precipitation will determine future agricultural production. Estimates of the impacts of climate change on agriculture provide essential information to design effective adaptation strategies, and develop sustainable food systems. Here, we review the current experimental evidence and crop models on the effects of elevated CO2 concentrations. Recent concerted efforts have narrowed the uncertainties in CO2-induced crop responses so that climate change impact simulations omitting CO2 can now be eliminated. To address remaining knowledge gaps and uncertainties in estimating the effects of elevated CO2 and climate change on crops, future research should expand experiments on more crop species under a wider range of growing conditions, improve the representation of responses to climate extremes in crop models, and simulate additional crop physiological processes related to nutritional quality.