HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Reddy, K. R. Articles by McKinion, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Reddy, K. R. Articles by McKinion, J. M. Agricola Articles by Reddy, K. R. Articles by McKinion, J. M.

Carbon Dioxide and Temperature Effects on Pima Cotton Development

Dep. of Plant and Soil Sciences, Box 9555, Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, MS 39762

James M. McKinion

USDA-ARS, Crop Simulation Res. Unit, Crop Science Res. Lab., P.O. Box 5367, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

^* Corresponding author.

Predicting plant responses to changing atmospheric CO₂ and to the possible global warming are important concerns. Effects of CO₂ on developmental events are poorly documented, as is the interaction of CO₂ and other major climate variables on crop development. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of an altered CO₂ environment and interactions of CO₂ and temperature on pima cotton developmental rates. Pima cotton (Gossypium barbadense L. cv. S-6) was grown from seed in sun-lit plant growth chambers. Air temperatures were controlled from 20/12 to 40/32°C (day/night) in 5-degree increments. Daytime CO₂ was maintained at 350 or 700 µL L^–1. In a second experiment, the temperature was maintained at 30/22°C day/night and the plants were grown in 350, 450, or 700 µL L^–1 CO₂. Days required to develop nodes on the mainstem, days from emergence to first square, number of vegetative and fruiting branches, number of fruiting sites produced, number of bolls and squares produced, and number of bolls and squares retained by the plants were determined. Rates of mainstem node formation and the time required to produce the first square and first flower were not sensitive to atmospheric CO₂, but were very sensitive to temperature. Prefruiting branch nodal positions required longer to develop than nodes with fruiting branches. Carbon dioxide levels did not affect the time required to produce nodes. Number of branches produced was sensitive to both temperature and CO₂. The larger number of bolls set on the lower branches of plants grown at high CO₂ provided a larger sink for photosynthate than plants grown at low CO₂. This may be the reason for the observed reduction in number of fruit at the upper nodes of high-CO₂-grown plants. More bolls and squares were produced and retained on plants grown in high-CO₂ environments, except that none were produced in either CO₂ environment at 40/32°C. Our results indicate that high-temperature-tolerant cotton cultivars would be more productive in the present-day CO₂ world, and they would be essential in the future if global temperature increases.

Received for publication July 20, 1994.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. J. Boote and T. R. Sinclair Crop Physiology: Significant Discoveries and Our Changing Perspective on Research Crop Sci., September 8, 2006; 46(5): 2270 - 2277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.R. Reddy, G. H. Davidonis, A. S. Johnson, and B. T. Vinyard Temperature Regime and Carbon Dioxide Enrichment Alter Cotton Boll Development and Fiber Properties Agron. J., September 1, 1999; 91(5): 851 - 858. [Abstract] [Full Text]