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Experimental and modeling studies on the interaction of drought and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on root growth of maize and sorghum
Project
Project code: vTI-BD-08-49
Contract period: 01.04.2011
- 31.03.2014
Purpose of research: Applied research
Sorghum is a C4 crop adapted to warm growing conditions and has also a high growth potential under restricted water availability due its high water use efficiency. Thus, this plant might be an alternative bioenergy crop to maize especially under future climate conditions with increasing summer drought in Europe. However, root growth and the processes related to the acquisition of water have not yet been investigated for Sorghum under the climatic conditions in Central Europe. Moreover, the interactions of summer drought and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration on these processes are unclear. Therefore, within the framework of a running field experiment with Sorghum and maize at the experimental station of the Thünen-Institute at Braunschweig the effects of CO2 enrichment and summer drought on root growth and soil water exploitation are investigated. The CO2 enrichment is done with the free air CO2 enrichment technique (FACE) and the drought treatment is produced by the operation of rain shelters. The field experiment comprises three rings (20 m diameter) with ambient CO2 concentrations (385 ppm) and three FACE-rings (600 ppm). Each ring is divided in a well-watered and a drought stress half circle. Root growth is measured by destructive soil sampling and seasonal dynamic is recored with a minirhizontron system. Possible differences in the temperature sensitivity of the root growth of maize and Sorghum will be investigated in a separated plot trial. Models will be used describe root growth dynamic of maize and Sorghum as affected by temperature, atmospheric CO2 concentration and soil water content. The models will allow an assessment of the growing potential of Sorghum as compared to maize under future climate conditions in Central Europe.
Section overview
Subjects
- Crop Production
- Climate Change
