Abstract: | AbstractWaterlogging is a major predicted agricultural problem for crop production in some areas under current climate change, but no studies are available on the interactive effects of waterlogging and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (CO2]). We hypothesized that elevated CO2] could alleviate the damage caused by waterlogging, and tested the hypothesis using vegetative growth of soybean (Glycine max) in 10 experiments (different sowing time and different soil type) conducted at Morioka and Tsukuba for three years. The 2-week-old plants grown under elevated and ambient CO2] were exposed to waterlogging for 2 weeks. Total dry weight at the end of the treatment was higher under elevated CO2] than under ambient CO2], and it was significantly reduced by waterlogging under both levels of CO2], without significant CO2]×waterlogging interactions, at both locations. The negative effects of the waterlogging were greater in root dry weight than in top dry weight, and the root exudation per unit root dry weight was also reduced by waterlogging, without a CO2] ×waterlogging interaction. Therefore, the hypothesis of a CO2]×waterlogging interaction can be rejected, and provide an important basis for predicting future damage caused by waterlogging under elevated CO2] conditions. |