Pod photosynthesis and drought adaptation of field grown rape (Brassica napus L.)

In rape (Brassica napus L., cv. Global) seed growth mainly depends on husk CO₂ assimilation. In irrigated plants, the net photosynthetic rate (A_max) was 10–13 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ in non-maturing pods and correlated with nitrogen content. The stomatal conductance of water vapour (g_H2O) was 0.3 mol m⁻² s⁻¹ in non-maturing pods. The photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was 8.3 μmol CO₂g⁻¹ N s⁻¹, about one-third of that in leaves. The photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE; A_maxg_H2O⁻¹) was similar in pods and leaves. In severely droughted plants, the photosynthetic rate was reduced to 38%. The seed growth rate, however, was not influenced by intermittent periods of water stress, indicating translocation of assimilates to the seeds. The drought resistant character of the pods was due to low specific area, succulence, low stomatal conductance causing a small decrease of ΔΨ day⁻¹ during soil drying and maintenance of high relative water content during severe drought. A mathematical formulation of the pod water release curve was undertaken. © (1997) Elsevier Science B.V.     

Water relations, gas exchange and growth of cool-season grain legumes in a Mediterranean-type environment

The aim of this study was to identify the physiological characteristics which may affect the yield of six cool-season grain legume species grown in a water-limited Mediterranean-type climate in Western Australia. The rate of net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and water relations were measured from flowering to complete leaf senescence in white lupin, chickpea, faba bean, field pea, grass pea and lentil. In irrigated plants, the midday leaf water potential was about −0.6 MPa in all species, while the maximum rate of leaf photosynthesis was 30 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for chickpea and white lupin, and below 20 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for the other species. With the development of water deficits, the leaf water potential in rain-fed plants decreased to about −3 MPa in chickpea and lentil and −2 MPa in the other species. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance decreased markedly as the leaf water potential decreased below −0.9 MPa in all six species, including chickpea and lentil, which showed a high degree of osmotic adjustment. Despite the similarity in water use, restricted to the top 40 cm of soil, and water relations characteristics, yields varied markedly among species. Yields were strongly correlated with early biomass production and early pod development.     

Photosynthetic responses in spring wheat grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and stress conditions in the European, multiple-site experiment ‘ESPACE-wheat’

Spring wheat cv. Minaret crop stands were grown under ambient and elevated CO₂ concentrations at seven sites in Germany, Ireland, the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. Six of the sites used open-top chambers and one used a controlled environment mimicking field conditions. The effect of elevated CO₂ for a range of N application regimes, O₃ concentrations, and growth temperatures on flag leaf photosynthesis was studied. Before anthesis, flag leaf photosynthesis was stimulated about 50% by 650 compared with 350 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂ at all sites, regardless of other treatments. Furthermore, there was no evidence of a decrease in photosynthetic capacity of flag leaves due to growth at elevated CO₂ before anthesis, even for low N treatments. However, photosynthetic capacity, particularly carboxylation capacity, of flag leaves was usually decreased by growth at elevated CO₂ after anthesis, especially in low N treatments. Acclimation of photosynthesis to elevated CO₂ therefore appears to occur only slowly, consistent with a response to changes in sink–source relationships, rather than a direct response. Effect of elevated CO₂ on stomatal conductance was much more variable between sites and treatments, but on average was decreased by ˜10% at 650 compared with 350 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂. Carboxylation capacity of flag leaves was decreased by growth at elevated O₃ both before and after anthesis, regardless of CO₂ concentration.     

Growth and marketable-yield responses of potato to increased CO2 and ozone

Central to the CHanging climate and potential Impacts on Potato yield and quality project (CHIP) was the consideration of the potential impacts of ozone and CO₂ on growth and yield of future European Potato crops. Potato crops, cv. Bintje, were exposed to ambient or elevated ozone; targeted daily average, 60 nl l⁻¹ for 8 h, and ambient or elevated CO_2; targeted 680 μl l⁻¹ averaged over the full growing season, in open top chambers (OTCs) at six European sites in 1998 and 1999, or to elevated CO₂ (550 μl l⁻¹) in Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment facilities (FACE) at two sites in both years. Some OTC experiments included 550 μl l⁻¹. Above and below ground biomass were measured at two destructive harvests; at maximum leaf area (MLA) and at final-harvest. Final-harvest fresh weight yields of marketable-size tubers, >35 mm diameter, from ambient conditions ranged from 1 to 12 kg m⁻². There was no consistent (P>0.1) CO₂×O₃ interaction for growth or yield variables at either harvest. No consistent effects of ozone were detected at the maximum-leaf-area harvest. However, at final harvest, ozone had reduced both above-ground biomass and tuber dry weight (P<0.05), particularly of the largest (>50 mm) size class. These yield losses showed linear relationships both with accumulated ozone exposure; AOT40 expressed as nl l⁻¹ h over 40 nl l⁻¹, and with yields from chambered ambient-ozone treatments (P<0.05) but, because of partial confounding between the treatment AOT40s and the ambient-ozone yields in the data, the two relationships were not completely independent. Yields from ambient-ozone treatments, however, explained a significant (P<0.01) amount of the residual variation in ozone effects unexplained by AOT40. When averaged over all experiments, mean dry weights and tuber numbers from both harvests were increased by elevated CO₂. Only green leaf number at the MLA harvest was reduced. The CO₂ responses varied between sites and years. For marketable-size tubers, this variation was unrelated to variation in ambient-CO₂ treatment yields. Yield increases resulting from the 680 μl l⁻¹ and 550 μl l⁻¹ treatments were similar. Thus elevating [CO₂] from 550 to 680 μl l⁻¹ was less effective than elevating [CO₂] from ambient to 550 μl l⁻¹. On average, CO₂ elevation to 680 μl l⁻¹ increased the dry weight of marketable-size tubers by about 17%, which far exceeded the average ozone-induced yield loss of about 5%. The net effect of raising CO₂ and O₃ concentrations on the European potato crop would be an increase marketable yield.     

Photosynthetic and stomatal responses of potatoes grown under elevated CO2 and/or O3—results from the European CHIP-programme

The physiological effects of elevated CO₂ and/or O₃ on Solanum tuberosum cv. Bintje were examined in Open-Top Chambers during 1998 and 1999 at experimental sites across Europe as part of the EU ‘Changing Climate and Potential Impacts on Potato Yield and Quality’ programme (CHIP). At tuber initiation (≈20 days after emergence, DAE) elevated CO₂ (680 μl l⁻¹) induced a 40% increase in the light saturated photosynthetic rate (A_sat) of fully expanded leaves in the upper canopy. This was 16% less than expected from short-term exposures of plants grown under ambient CO₂ (360 μl l⁻¹) to elevated CO₂, indicating that photosynthetic acclimation began at an early stage of crop growth. This effect resulted from a combination of a 12% reduction in stomatal conductance (g_s) and a decline in photosynthetic capacity, as indicated by the significant reductions in the maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vc_max) and light-saturated rate of electron transport (J_max) under elevated CO₂. The seasonal decline in the promotion of photosynthesis by elevated CO₂ reflected the concurrent decrease in g_s. Vc_max and J_max were both reduced in plants grown under elevated CO₂ until shortly after maximum leaf area (MLA) was attained. Although non-photorespiratory mitochondrial respiration in the light (R_d) increased during the later stages of the season, net photosynthesis was consistently increased by elevated CO₂ during the main part of the season. Photosynthetic rate declined more rapidly in response to elevated O₃ under ambient CO₂, and the detrimental impact of O₃ was most obvious after MLA was attained (DAE 40–50). Several exposure indices were compared, with the objective of determining the critical ozone level required to induce physiological effects. The critical O₃ exposure above which a 5% reduction in light saturated photosynthetic rate may be expected (expressed in terms of cumulative exposure above 0 nl l⁻¹ O₃ between emergence and specific dates during the season (AOT0-cum)) was 11 μl l⁻¹ h; however this value should only be extrapolated beyond the CHIP dataset with caution. The interaction between O₃ and stomatal behaviour was more complex, as it was influenced by both long-term and daily exposure levels. Elevated CO₂ counteracted the adverse effect of O₃ on photosynthesis, perhaps because the observed reduction in stomatal conductance decreased O₃ fluxes into the leaves. The results are discussed in the context of nitrogen deficiency, carbohydrate accumulation and yield.     

Chlorophyll content of spring wheat flag leaves grown under elevated CO2 concentrations and other environmental stresses within the ‘ESPACE-wheat’ project

Spring wheat cv. Minaret was grown in open-top chambers at four sites across Europe. The effect of different treatments (CO₂ enrichment, O₃ fumigation, drought stress and temperature) on the chlorophyll content of the flag leaf was investigated using the MINOLTA SPAD-502 meter. Under optimum growth conditions the maximum chlorophyll content, which was reached at anthesis, was consistent among the sites ranging from 460 to 500 mg chlorophyll m⁻². No significant effect of elevated CO₂ or O₃ was observed at anthesis. Leaf senescence, indicated by the chlorophyll breakdown after anthesis, was relatively constant in the control chambers. Under control conditions, thermal time until 50% chlorophyll loss was reached was 600°C day. Elevated CO₂ caused a faster decline in chlorophyll content (thermal time until 50% chlorophyll loss was reduced to 500–580°C day) indicating a faster rate of plant development at two experimental sites. The effect of ozone on chlorophyll content depended on the time and dose of O₃ exposure. During grain filling, high O₃ concentrations induced premature senescence of the flag leaves (up to −130°C day). This deleterious effect was mitigated by elevated CO₂. Drought stress led to faster chlorophyll breakdown irrespective of CO₂ treatment.     

Effects of elevated carbon dioxide and ozone on potato tuber quality in the European multiple-site experiment ‘CHIP-project’

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L cv. Bintje) was exposed to ambient and elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂), to ambient and elevated ozone (O₃) and to elevated levels of both gases during two growing seasons, 1998 and 1999. Experiments in open-top chambers (OTC) were carried out in Finland, Sweden, Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium and a FACE (Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) experiment was carried out in Italy. In OTCs the plants were grown under ambient CO₂ concentrations or with 550 and 680 μl l⁻¹ CO₂ alone or in combination with ambient or elevated O₃ concentrations (target seasonal mean of 60 nl l⁻¹ 8 h per day). In the FACE systems the plants were exposed to ambient or 550 μl l⁻¹ CO₂. In the OTC experiments the reducing sugar content of potato tubers decreased significantly with increased concentration of O₃. The starch content of potato tubers decreased, with negative impact on tuber quality, but the ascorbic acid concentration increased as a function of the AOT40 (The sum of the differences between hourly ozone concentration and 40 nl l⁻¹ for each hour when the concentration exceeds 40 nl l⁻¹ during a relevant growing season). However, simultaneous exposure to elevated CO₂ counteracted the ozone effect. With increase in the CO₂ exposure, glycoalkaloid and nitrate concentrations decreased yielding improved quality, while the citric acid concentration decreased causing a higher risk for discoloration after cooking. The amount of dry matter and starch increased significantly in the FACE experiment.     

Effect of ultraviolet-C light on quality and microbial population of fresh-cut watermelon

The influence of ultraviolet (UV-C) light (1.4–13.7 kJ m⁻² at 254 nm) on the quality and microbial populations of fresh-cut watermelon [Citrulus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] was investigated and compared to that of common sanitizing solutions used for fresh-cut produce. Dipping cubes in chlorine (40 μL L⁻¹) and ozone (0.4 μL L⁻¹) was not effective in reducing microbial populations and quality was lower in cubes receiving these aqueous treatments compared to UV-irradiated cubes or control. In commercial trials, exposing packaged watermelons cubes to UV-C light at 4.1 kJ m⁻² produced >1 log reduction in microbial populations by the end of the product's shelf life without affecting juice leakage, color and, overall visual quality. In further experimentation, lower UV-C dose (1.4 kJ m⁻²) reduced microbial populations to a lower degree and only when complete surface exposure was ensured. Higher UV-C doses did not show any difference in microbial populations (6.3 kJ m⁻²) or result in quality deterioration (13.7 kJ m⁻²). Spray applications of hydrogen peroxide (2%) and chlorine (40 μL L⁻¹), without subsequent removal of excess water, failed to further decrease microbial load of cubes exposed to UV-C light at 4.1 kJ m⁻². When properly utilized, UV-C light is the only method tested in this study that could potentially be used for sanitizing fresh-cut watermelon.     

Factors influencing visible ozone injury on potato including the interaction with carbon dioxide

Weekly observations and scoring of ozone injury were done on all experimental sites where continuous monitoring of ozone in ambient air was available. Typical acute symptoms were reddish-brown lesions and bronzing, primarily on the upper surface of the leaves. The potato cultivar Bintje, cultivated at all sites, appeared to be sensitive to ozone but less than clover species, which served as model for the short-term critical level (AOT40/5 d). At the mid-European and Nordic latitudes injury appeared after an AOT40/5 d exposure of about 700 and 275 nl l⁻¹ h, respectively. In central Europe the plants were indeed less sensitive than in Scandinavia and the AOT40/5 d values were higher than the proposed critical level of 500 nl l⁻¹ h at a vapour pressure deficit (VPD) exceeding 1.5 kPa and 200 nl l⁻¹ h at a VPD below 1.5 kPa. In addition injury appeared primarily after the stage of maximum leaf area (MLA). In the Nordic countries injury was noticed at very low AOT40/5 d values and occurred before as well as after the stage of MLA. Using artificial neural network models it appeared from the data set that VPD did not play a major role in the ozone sensitivity of potato, but there were indications that daylength was an important parameter in addition to a possible higher uptake at high latitudes. Increasing the CO₂ concentration did not prevent the potato plants from visible ozone damage but it reduced the intensity by 10%. Taking only the OTC experiments of the mid-latitudes into account, there was a correlation between the ozone injury scoring just before harvest and the marketable yield loss. However, in all the cases considered, ozone damage appeared only after the stage of MLA and increased steadily towards harvest. The correlation can be explained by a parallel development of injury and chlorosis (senescence) typical for chronic exposure. There was no relationship between isolated short-term exposures causing acute injury and final yield.     

Nitrogen deficiency effects on plant growth, leaf photosynthesis, and hyperspectral reflectance properties of sorghum

An experiment was conducted under outdoor pot-culture conditions to determine effects of nitrogen (N) deficiency on sorghum growth, physiology, and leaf hyperspectral reflectance properties. Sorghum (cv. DK 44C) was seeded in 360 twelve-litre pots filled with fine sand. All pots were irrigated with half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution from emergence to 25 days after sowing (DAS). Thereafter, pots were separated into three identical groups and the following treatments were initiated: (1) the control (100% N) continued receiving the half-strength nutrient solution; (2) reduced N to 20% of the control (20% N); and (3) withheld N from the solution (0% N). Photosynthetic rate (Pn), chlorophyll (Chl) and N concentrations, and hyperspectral reflectance of the uppermost, fully expanded leaves were determined at 3- to 4-day-interval from 21 to 58 DAS during the N treatments. Plants were harvested 58 DAS to determine effects of N deficiency on leaf area (LA), biomass accumulation, and partitioning. Nitrogen deficiency significantly reduced LA, leaf Chl content and Pn, resulting in lower biomass production. Decreased leaf Pn due to N deficiency was mainly associated with lower stomatal conductance rather than carboxylation capacity of leaf chemistry. Among plant components of dry weights, leaf dry weight had the greatest and root dry weight had the smallest decrease under N deficiency. Nitrogen-deficit stress mainly increased leaf reflectance at 555 (R₅₅₅) and 715 nm (R₇₁₅) and caused a red-edge shift to shorter wavelength. Leaf N and Chl concentrations were linearly correlated with not only the reflectance ratios of R₄₀₅/R₇₁₅ (r² = 0.68^***) and R₁₀₇₅/R₇₃₅ (r² = 0.64^***), respectively, but also the first derivatives of the reflectance (dR/dλ) in red edge centered 730 or 740 nm (r² = 0.73–0.82^***). These specific reflectance ratios or dR/dλ may be used for rapid and non-destructive estimation of sorghum leaf Chl and plant N status.     

Climatic conditions and concentrations of carbon dioxide and air pollutants during ‘ESPACE—wheat’ experiments

A major objective of the ESPACE—wheat programme was to perform by means of open-top chambers (OTCs) ‘standardised’ experimental investigations of spring wheat responses to increased atmospheric CO₂ and O₃ concentrations and to other environmental stresses at different locations in Europe, representing a broad range of different climatic conditions. From 1994 to 1996 a total number of 25 OTC experiments were carried out. In addition, four growth chamber experiments focusing on key physiological processes of wheat growth in CO₂-enriched air were performed. According to the specific needs for subsequent modelling purposes, environmental data were collected during experiments, i.e. air temperature, global radiation, humidity and trace gas concentrations. In the present paper results of these measurements are summarised. It was shown, that the OTC-experiments covered a considerable range of growing season mean-air-temperatures (13.0–23.4°C) and global irradiances (10.8–18.1 MJ m⁻² d⁻¹), the most important driving variables for crop growth simulation models. Mean concentrations of CO₂ and O₃ in ambient air and in different treatments illustrated the observed variability of trace gas exposures between different experiments. Implications for subsequent analyses of biological response data are discussed.     

Interactive effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and plant available soil water content on canopy evapotranspiration and conductance of spring wheat

The present study was conducted to investigate the possible interactive effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ concentration [CO₂] and drought stress on water use of wheat. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. “Minaret”) was grown either in 1 m diameter lysimeters with 0.4 m soil depth (1998) or in the field (1999) in open-top chambers under two CO₂-concentrations (ambient, ambient + 280 ppm) and two watering regimes (well-watered = WW with a plant available water content PAW > 40 mm and drought stressed = DS, 10 mm < PAW < 30 mm) beginning after first node stage. Canopy evapotranspiration (E_C) was measured continuously from first the node stage until the beginning of flag leaf senescence using four open-system canopy chambers (0.78 m³). Seasonal changes of the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) of the canopy and root growth (1999) were also measured.

In both growing seasons leaf area index increased in response to elevated [CO₂] in both water treatments. The related effects of [CO₂] on canopy radiation absorption (APAR) were, however, smaller. E_C was linearily related to APAR in both growing seasons. While elevated [CO₂] reduced the slope of this relation under WW conditions by ca. 20% in both growing seasons, it was not reduced (1998) and even increased (1999) under drought. Canopy conductance (G_C) calculated as E_C divided by vapour pressure deficit of air, showed a non-linear relationship to APAR that was best explained by saturation curves. Under WW conditions, elevated [CO₂] reduced the initial slope of G_C versus APAR as well as G_C at saturating light conditions (ca. −30%), while under DS conditions no effect of elevated [CO₂] could be detected. Under high light conditions (PAR > 400 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) a critical “threshold value” of PAW (T_PAW, ca. 40 mm) could be identified above which G_C did not respond to PAW. While in 1998 G_C did not respond to elevated [CO₂] at PAW < T_PAW, it was slightly increased at low PAW values in the field experiments of 1999. The reduction of T_PAW by elevated [CO₂] may be explained by enhanced root growth (1999) that would have given the plants better access to soil water resources. The present results suggest that below a critical soil water content elevated [CO₂] will not reduce canopy water loss of wheat or may even enhance it.     

Changing climate and potential impacts on potato yield and quality ‘CHIP’: introduction, aims and methodology

Climate change effects caused by an increasing concentration of CO₂ and ozone represent an issue of major concern both for scientists and policy-makers. In a concerted program funded by the Commission of the European Union, a European network of experiments (in open-top chambers (OTC), and free air carbon dioxide enrichment systems (FACE)) and modelling was carried out to investigate the effects of increasing atmospheric CO₂ and ozone concentrations, under different climatic conditions, on potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Bintje). This contribution describes the experimental network and the standard protocol set-up for the assessments that served to improve and to validate process oriented potato growth simulation models leading to scenarios of future productivity of potato in Europe.     

Maximum slat width for cooling efficiency of horticultural produce in wooden crates

The influence of wood package design on airflow distribution was investigated for forced-air cooling using horticultural produce simulators. The position of grooves on the container walls was tested using slat width of 100–200 mm and airflow rates ranging from 0.0005 to 0.003 m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻¹. The package opening configurations were compared based on their impact on the energy added to the system using a methodology previously developed. For this purpose, apples and sweet corns were taken as examples of produce from two different extremes in the respiration activity range. For airflow rates as low as 0.0005 m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻¹one groove at the bottom of the container produced a cooling process more uniform than the other one-groove configurations and even two grooves because of natural convection effect. If packing low respiration rate produce, increasing airflow rate could compromise the process energy efficiency because of air circulation obstruction for less vented containers. For high respiration rate produce enlarging open area above 2.4% would be recommended rather than increasing airflow rate to enhance cooling energy efficiency.     

基于光谱指数和偏最小二乘的棉花类胡萝卜素/叶绿素a比值估算

类胡萝卜素(Car)与叶绿素a含量比值(Car/Chla)的变化与植被生长发育变化、环境胁迫及叶片衰老特征等密切相关,可作为植被生理生态及物候的监测指标。不同植被类型和植被品种其色素变化随植被生长发育呈现出不同的变化特征。为了探究适用于干旱区棉花Car/Chla比值估算的光谱指数和估算方法,本研究通过2011年和2012年连续2年的大面积田间试验,获取了棉花不同生育期的叶片及冠层尺度光谱反射率及色素含量信息,对多种光谱指数及偏最小二乘回归(Partial Least Square Regression, PLSR)用于Car/Chla比值和Car估算进行了探讨。对比表明,基于光化学指数(PhotochemicalReflectanceIndex,PRI)的线性和一元二次模型对Car/Chla比值和Car的估算精度最高,由PRI-Car/Chla线性模型得到的叶片和冠层尺度的Car/Chla比值估算值与实测值之间的决定系数R2大于0.6, PRI-Car的R2大于0.36;基于PLSR模型得到的Car/Chla比值估算值与实测值之间的拟合关系略优于基于PRI的估算模型,由其得到的叶片及冠层尺度Car/Chla比值估算值与实测值之间的决定系数R2大于0.80,Car估算值与实测值之间R2大于0.73;不论基于PRI还是基于PLSR方法,对Car/Chla比值的估算精度均高于Car含量,该结论进一步证实了Car/Chla比值遥感监测的可行性,丰富了对棉花生长高温胁迫、养分胁迫等环境胁迫及病虫害等遥感监测的依据指标。     

CO2 and ozone effects on canopy development of potato crops across Europe

This paper describes the effects of elevated CO₂ (550 and 680 μl l⁻¹) and O₃ (60 nl l⁻¹ O₃ as an 8 h mean), alone or in combination, on canopy development and senescence in potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv Bintje) across a range of European agro-climatic conditions. The assessments were made within the European CHIP project (CHanging climate and potential Impacts on Potato yield and quality) that was conducted for two growing seasons (1998 and 1999) in free air CO₂ enrichment systems (FACE) and open-top chamber facilities (OTCs) at seven European sites. A comparison of chambered and unchambered experimental plots was included to examine the effects of chamber enclosure. Phenological growth stages, plant height, leaf area index (LAI) and the number of green and yellow leaves were recorded non-destructively throughout the growing season and by a destructive intermediate harvest at maximum leaf area (MLA). In the dynamic growth analysis CO₂ and O₃ effects were studied over three developmental stages: canopy expansion, full canopy and canopy senescence. Chamber enclosures promoted potato crop development (taller plants, more leaves) during the initial growth stages and led to a faster decline of LAI and a higher number of yellow leaves. The growth in ambient plots varied between sites and seasons, as did the scale of the treatment responses. Despite the large background variation, some overall treatment effects could be detected across all sites. Both levels of increased CO₂ reduced final plant height in comparison to ambient concentrations, which indicates a premature ending of the active plant growth. At the stage of full canopy and crop senescence the average number of green leaves was significantly (P<0.05) decreased by 680 μl l⁻¹ CO₂ (OTC experiments) and LAI showed the same tendency (P=0.07). As there was however no indication of a decreased leaf formation during initial growth and at full canopy, this must have been due to an earlier leaf fall. In the FACE experiments LAI had already began to decline at the stage of full canopy at 550 μl l⁻¹ CO₂ but not in ambient CO₂ (DAE×CO₂, P<0.05). These observations strongly indicated that elevated CO₂ induced a premature senescence during full canopy. O₃ did not have an overall detrimental effect on crop development during initial growth nor at full canopy, but did induce a faster reduction of LAI during crop senescence (DAE×O₃, P<0.05). Final plant height was not affected by O₃. There were few CO₂×O₃ interactions detected. There was a suggestion (P=0.06) that O₃ counteracted the CO₂-induced decrease of green leaves at full canopy, but on the other hand during crop senescence the decline of LAI due to elevated O₃ was faster at ambient compared to elevated CO₂ (P<0.05). These responses of canopy development to elevated CO₂ and O₃ help to explain the treatment responses of potato yield within the CHIP project at sites across Europe.     

Effect of climatic conditions on tuber yield (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the European ‘CHIP’ experiments

The main objective of the CHIP project was to perform ‘standardised’ investigations of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv Bintje) responses to increased O₃ and CO₂ concentrations by means of open-top chambers (OTC) and free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) systems. The experimental sites are located across Europe representing a broad range of different climatic conditions. In 1998 and 1999 a total number of 12 OTC experiments and four FACE experiments were conducted. According to the specific needs for subsequent modelling purposes, environmental data were collected during experiments, i.e. air temperature, global radiation, air humidity (vapour pressure deficit (VPD)), soil moisture and trace gas concentrations. In the present paper, the results of these measurements are summarised. It was shown that the experiments covered a considerable range of growing season mean air temperatures (13.8–19.9 °C) and global irradiances (12.0–21.3 MJ m⁻² per day), the most important driving variables for crop growth simulation models. Analysis of the soils used during the experiments demonstrated that in most cases sufficient nutrient elements were available to guarantee an undisturbed growth. Mean concentrations of CO₂ and O₃ in ambient air and in different treatments illustrate the observed variability of trace gas exposures between different sites and experiments. However, the effects of these parameters on growth and yield are subject of separate papers. The general climatic conditions across Europe are also causing important growth and yield effects. Comparison of marketable tuber yields revealed an increase at higher latitudes. This result was associated with lower temperatures and VPD and longer day lengths at the higher latitudes, which in turn were associated with longer growing seasons.     

基于高光谱的棉花叶片磷含量估测模型

研究不同施磷条件下棉花叶片叶绿素含量的变化规律,旨在建立基于高光谱的叶片磷含量估测模型,实现棉花叶片磷含量快速监测。在盆栽试验条件下,设置不同的磷肥量,测定棉花功能叶叶绿素含量与磷含量,并利用植被指数和叶绿素含量的相关性构建磷含量的光谱变量,从而实现利用高光谱对棉花叶片磷含量的定量监测。结果表明：(1)棉花播种后100天左右,叶片磷含量与叶绿素呈现显著关系(决定系数R²=0.96)。(2)利用多个植被指数(X)和叶绿素含量(I)的相关性构建倒一叶、倒二叶、倒三叶、倒四叶的磷含量光谱变量,其中各叶片相关性最优的模型：倒一叶(L₁)为I₁=2.6131X_RENDVI-0.4275,X_RENDV为红边归一化植被指数,R²=0.71,RMSE=0.2;倒二叶(L₂)为I₅=0.0142X_TVI+0.3274,X_TVI为三角植被指数,R²=0.76,RMSE...     

大气O3浓度升高对玉米光合作用和籽粒品质的影响

利用开顶式气室研究了大气O3浓度升高对玉米（Zea mays L．）叶片光合作用、籽粒品质以及产量的影响。结果表明,整个生长季内,与对照相比,在高浓度O3（80nmol／mol）条件下,玉米叶片的净光合速率、气孔导度、蒸腾速率显著下降（P〈0．05）,而胞间CO2浓度先降低后升高并达到极显著水平（P〈0．01）,这说明使光合速率降低的主要因素由气孔限制逐渐转变为非气孔限制。与对照相比,高浓度O3处理植株叶绿素a、叶绿素b及叶绿素（a＋b）含量降低,叶绿素a／b值则先降低后升高。但是随着熏蒸时间的延长,高浓度O3处理植株的叶绿素a、叶绿素（a＋b）含量与叶绿素a／b值变化呈先升高后降低的趋势,与叶绿素b含量变化不同;O3浓度升高在一定程度上使玉米籽粒品质下降,其中蛋白质和淀粉含量降低,而粗脂肪和蛋脂总量略有升高;百粒重、穗粒数和穗粒重均显著低于对照（P〈0．05）,说明O3浓度升高降低了玉米的光合能力,籽粒品质受到影响,抑制了作物生长。     

Simulation of growth and development processes of spring wheat in response to CO2 and ozone for different sites and years in Europe using mechanistic crop simulation models

The response of crop growth and yield to CO₂ and ozone is known to depend on climatic conditions and is difficult to quantify due to the complexity of the processes involved. Two modified mechanistic crop simulation models (AFRCWHEAT2-O3 and LINTULCC), which differ in the levels of mechanistic detail, were used to simulate the effects of CO₂ (ambient, ambient ×2) and ozone (ambient, ambient ×1.5) on growth and developmental processes of spring wheat in response to climatic conditions. Simulations were analysed using data from the ESPACE-wheat project in which spring wheat cv. Minaret was grown in open-top chambers at nine sites throughout Europe and for up to 3 years at each site.

Both models closely predicted phenological development and the average measured biomass at maturity. However, intermediate growth variables such as biomass and leaf area index (LAI) at anthesis, seasonal accumulated photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by the crop (ΣIPAR), the average seasonal light use efficiency (LUE) and the light saturated rate of flag leaf photosynthesis (A_sat) were predicted differently and less accurately by the two models. The effect of CO₂ on the final biomass was underestimated by AFRCWHEAT2-O3 due to its poor simulation of the effect of CO₂ on tillering, and LAI.LINTULCC overestimated the response of biomass production to changes in CO₂ level due to an overprediction of the effect of CO₂ on LUE. The measured effect of ozone exposure on final biomass was predicted closely by the two models. The models also simulated the observed interactive effect of CO₂ and ozone on biomass production. However, the effects of ozone on LAI, ΣIPAR and A_sat were simulated differently by the models and less accurately with LINTULCC for the ozone effects on LAI and ΣIPAR. Predictions of the variation between sites and years of growth and development parameters and of their responses to CO₂ and ozone were poor for both AFRCWHEAT2-O3 and LINTULCC. It was concluded that other factors than those considered in the models such as chamber design and soil properties may have affected the growth and development of cv. Minaret. An analysis of the relationships between growth parameters calculated from the simulations supported this conclusion. In order to apply models for global change impact assessment studies, the difficulties in simulating biomass production in response to CO₂ need to be considered. We suggest that the simulation of leaf area dynamics deserves particular attention in this regard.