Yield loss in rice by acute ozone pollution could be recovered

Abstract

Rising concentration of surface O3 threatens crop production and food security. To improve the evaluation and develop efficient adaptations, it is essential to study the effects of acute O3 pollution. We adopted this study by open-top chamber (OTC) method and found that the fumigation of elevated O3 (NF40) for short (tillering and jointing, heading and ripening) and long periods during rice growth reduced the grain yield by 17, 19 and 25%, respectively, showing that both of the acute and chronic O3 pollution reduce rice production. Moreover, in comparison with the plants under chronic O3 pollution, grain yield was increased when O3 was removed at different stages: 32% increment at tillering and jointing and 34% increment at heading and ripening. These results suggest a possibility to recover the yield loss in rice under O3 pollution.