Vulnerability of lodging risk to elevated CO2 and increased soil temperature differs between rice cultivars

Anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration [CO2], and subsequent increases in surface temperatures, are likely to impact the growth and yield of cereal crops. One potential means for yield reduction is for climate parameters to increase the occurrence of lodging. Using an in situ free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) system, two morphologically distinct rice cultivars, KH (Koshihikari) and SY (Shan you 63), were grown at two [CO2]s (ambient and ambient + 200 μmol mol−1) and two soil temperatures (ambient and ambient ± 1.8 °C) over a two year period to assess and quantify lodging risk. Elevated [CO2] per se had no effect on lodging resistance for either cultivar. However, elevated [CO2] and higher soil temperature increased the lodging risk for SY, due to a relatively higher increase in plant biomass and height at the elevated, relative to the ambient [CO2] condition. Elevated soil temperature per se also increased lodging risk for both cultivars and was associated with longer internodes in the lower portion of the tillers. These findings illustrate that lodging susceptibility in rice, an important cereal crop, can be increased by rising [CO2] and soil temperature; however, variation observed here between rice cultivars suggests there may be sufficient intraspecific variability to begin choosing rice lines that minimize the potential risk of lodging.

► Rising CO2, temperature and climate change may affect lodging in cereals.
► In rice, greater stimulation of growth and yield was associated with increased lodging.
► Sufficient intra-specific variability in rice may allow selection for lodging resistance with climate change.