Effect of elevated CO2 and spectral quality on whole plant gas exchange patterns in tomatoes

PLoS One. 2018 Oct 18;13(10):e0205861. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205861. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

In controlled environment plant production facilities, elevating either light or CO2 levels generally has led to increased biomass and yield due to enhanced canopy photosynthesis. Today, advancements in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have made this technology a viable option for both supplementary lighting in greenhouses and a sole lighting source in controlled environment chambers. Our study used tomato plants grown under both ambient CO2 (AC) and elevated CO2 (EC) conditions then exposed them to various CO2 and lighting treatments during both whole plant and leaf level measurements. Plants grown under EC reached the first flower developmental stage 8 days sooner and were approximately 15cm taller than those grown under AC. However, under AC plants had more leaf area while their dry weights were similar. Of note, under EC chlorophyll a and b were lower, as were carotenoids per unit leaf area. Whole plant analyses, under all CO2 challenges, showed that plants exposed to high-pressure sodium (HPS), red-blue LED, and red-white LED had similar photosynthesis, respiration, and daily carbon gain. Under different light qualities, day-time transpiration rates were similar among CO2 conditions. Day-time water-use efficiency (WUE) was higher in plants grown and exposed to EC. Similarly, WUE of plants grown under AC but exposed to short-term elevated CO2 conditions was higher than those grown and tested under AC during all light treatments. Under all CO2 conditions, plants exposed to red-white and red-blue LEDs had lower WUE than those exposed to HPS lighting. Assessing alterations due to CO2 and light quality on a whole plant basis, not merely on an individual leaf basis, furthers our understanding of the interactions between these two parameters during controlled environment production. Principle component analyses of both whole plant and leaf data indicates that increasing CO2 supply has a more dramatic effect on photosynthesis and WUE than on transpiration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Dioxide / metabolism
  • Carbon Dioxide / pharmacology*
  • Carotenoids / biosynthesis
  • Chlorophyll A / biosynthesis
  • Environment, Controlled
  • Light
  • Lighting / methods*
  • Photosynthesis / drug effects*
  • Photosynthesis / physiology
  • Photosynthesis / radiation effects
  • Plant Leaves / drug effects*
  • Plant Leaves / physiology
  • Plant Leaves / radiation effects
  • Plant Transpiration / drug effects*
  • Plant Transpiration / physiology
  • Plant Transpiration / radiation effects
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Solanum lycopersicum / drug effects*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / physiology
  • Solanum lycopersicum / radiation effects
  • Water / metabolism

Substances

  • Water
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Carotenoids
  • Chlorophyll A

Grants and funding

Funding for the project was provided to Dr. Bernard Grodzinski in part by National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Lighting Science Group Company, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, and the University of Guelph. Scholarships were provided to Jason Lanoue by Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada (Research Affiliate Program), the University of Guelph (Vitamin Scholarship and Ontario Graduate Scholarship), the Ontario Government (Ontario Graduate Scholarship), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-NIFA travel grant).