Effect of elevated CO2 concentrations on nitrogen uptake and remobilisation in the grain of wheat

Project

Cultivation of winter wheat under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and different nitrogen fertilization (© Thünen-Institut/BD)

Field experiments on processes of the interaction of nitrogen fertilisation and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on concentration and composition of grain protein of wheat

As previously published, the rise of the atmospheric CO2 concentration will increase grain yield of wheat, however, grain protein content and thus grain quality will be impaired. This will be a substantial problem for food security, which has to be managed by cultivation and breeding measures.

Background and Objective

In order to solve the problem a detailed understanding of the processes is necessary, which will be worked on in this project. The effect of elevated CO2 concentration will be investigated on nitrogen uptake and remobilisation to the grain. It will be tested whether the negative effect of elevated CO2 on grain quality can be prevented by changing the amount or type of nitrogen fertilization.

It is suggested that the reduction of photorespiration under high CO2 causes a decreases of nitrate assimilation. This process and other mechanisms are thought to be responsible for the decrease of grain protein concentration under elevated CO2. The problem may be solved if the plant takes up only ammonium. This will be tested by using different forms of nitrogen fertilizer.

Approach

Winter wheat will be grown on the experimental field site of the Thünen-Institute with ambient (ca. 395 ppm) and elevated CO2 concentration (600 ppm)over two years. Nitrogen fertilisation will be an additional treatment factor by using different levels (low, medium, abundant) and types of nitrogen (only ammonium or mixture of nitrate and ammonium).

Data and Methods

The investigations comprise

short-term analysis of the activity of nitrate reductase
measurements of accumulation of organic nitrogen in the vegetative shoot (leaf and stem) until anthesis
measurement of nitrogen uptake from anthesis until grain maturity
analysis of remobilsation of shoot N to the grain

Our Research Questions

Does CO2 enrichment decrease nitrate reductase activity and thus N assimilation of the whole plant?

Is there an interaction of CO2 enrichment with nitrogen supply, i.e. does the CO2 related effect on grain nitrogen concentration decrease with increasing nitrogen supply and can the negative CO2 effect on grain nitrogen be removed by adding more fertilizer.

Can the negative effect of CO2 enrichment on grain quality be eliminated by feeding the plants with ammonium instead of nitrate?

Preliminary Results

Funding Body

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
(national, öffentlich)

Duration

5.2014 - 9.2018

More Information

Projekt type:
Project funding number: MA 1736/5-1
Project status: ongoing

Publications

Dier M, Manderscheid R, Sikora J, Erbs M, Weigel H-J (2016) Interactive effects of CO₂ enrichment and N fertilization on grain N-acquisition and grain protein concentration in wheat. In: Ewert F, Boote KJ, Rötter RP, Thorburn PJ, Nendel C (eds) International Crop Modelling Symposium 15-17 march 2016, Berlin, book of abstracts. pp 240-241
Manderscheid R, Dier M, Erbs M, Weigel H-J (2016) Mehr CO₂ verringert den saisonalen Wasserverbrauch von Winterweizen insbesondere bei guter Nährstoffversorgung. Mitt Gesellsch Pflanzenbauwiss 28:190-191
Dier M, Meinen R, Erbs M, Hänsch R, Weigel H-J, Zörb C, Manderscheid R (2016) Winter wheat grown under free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) does not perform less with nitrate than ammonium based fertilization in terms of N assimilation, yield and grain protein concentration. In: Third International Symposium on the Nitrogen Nutrition of Plants, 22.-26. August 2016, Montpellier, Conference Book. p 99
Manderscheid R, Sikora J, Dier M, Erbs M, Weigel H-J (2015) Interactive effects of CO₂ enrichment and N fertilization on N-acquisition, -remobilization and grain protein concentration in wheat. Proced Environ Sci 29:88, DOI:10.1016/j.proenv.2015.07.173
pdf document (limited accessibility) 219 kb
Dier M, Manderscheid R, Sikora J, Erbs M, Weigel H-J (2015) Prozessanalyse zur Senkung der Kornprotein-Konzentration bei Winterweizen durch CO₂-Anreicherung. Mitt Gesellsch Pflanzenbauwiss 27:49-50
Erbs M, Manderscheid R, Jansen G, Seddig S, Pacholski A, Weigel H-J (2010) Effects of free-air CO₂ enrichment and nitrogen supply on grain quality parameters and elemental composition of wheat and barley grown in a crop rotation. Agric Ecosyst Environ 136(1-2):59-68, DOI:10.1016/j.agee.2009.11.009

Director

Deputy

Secretariat