Elevated CO2 concentration enhances the role of the ear to the flag leaf in determining grain yield of wheat

Abstract

Net photosynthetic rate (PN) of ear and flag leaf during grain filling stage and grain yield of plants with non-darkened or darkened flag leaf or darkened ear were examined in two different CO2 concentrations: ambient (AC) and AC+200 μmol mol-1 (EC). Ear showed much higher enhancement (56 %) of PN than flag leaf (23 %) under EC. Moreover, CO2 enrichment shortened the photosynthetic duration of flag leaf relative to ear. In this way the ratio of ear to flag leaf contribution to grain yield increased from 1.18 (AC) to 1.39 (EC). © 2008 Institute of Experimental Botany, ASCR.