Interactive effects of free-air CO2 enrichment and drought stress on maize growth

Predicting future maize yields requires quantifying anticipated climate change impacts on maize growth and yield. In the present study, maize was grown over 2 years (2007 and 2008) under sufficient (WET) and reduced water supply (DRY) and under ambient (378 μl l−1, AMB) and elevated (550 μl l−1, FACE) atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) using free air CO2 enrichment (FACE). The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that maize growth does not respond to elevated [CO2] under WET but under DRY conditions due to an increase of water use efficiency (WUE) of biomass production realized through reduced transpiration. Moreover, in 2008 soil cover was varied to test whether mitigation of evaporation by straw mulch increases the CO2 effect on WUE. The DRY treatment received 12% and 48% less water than the WET treatment in 2007 and 2008, respectively, which was achieved with the aid of rainout shelters. In the first year, drought stress was insignificant and crop growth was similar among the two watering regimes. CO2 enrichment did not affect crop growth in 2007 and also in the WET treatment of 2008. In the second year, a pronounced drought stress decreased green leaf index, accumulated seasonal radiation absorption and radiation use efficiency (RUE) significantly. However, these effects were mitigated by CO2 enrichment and the decrease of RUE was higher under AMB (−18%) than under FACE (−2%) conditions. In the DRY treatment in 2008, CO2 enrichment significantly increased final biomass (+24%) and grain yield (+41%) as compared to the DRY AMB treatment. CO2 enrichment significantly increased soil water content under WET and DRY conditions but did not affect the soil water exploitation. There was a significant interaction of [CO2] and water supply on WUE with no (2007) or a small CO2-response (+10% in 2008) under WET and a strong effect under DRY conditions in 2008 (+25%). Soil cover did not intensify the CO2 effect on WUE. It is concluded that maize will benefit from the increase in [CO2] only under drought but not under sufficient water supply.

► We combined the free air CO2 enrichment technique with rain shelters.
► The system was used to study the interaction of CO2 and water supply on maize growth.
► CO2 enrichment (from 380 to 550 μl l−1) increased crop growth only under drought.
► And this was due to an increase of water use efficiency (+25%).