• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.601-608
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• 2017

The effects of elevated atmospheric $CO_2$ on growth and photosynthesis of soybean (Glycine max Merr.) were investigated to predict its productivity under elevated $CO_2$ levels in the future. Soybean grown for 6 weeks showed significant increase in vegetative growth, based on plant height, leaf characteristics (area, length, and width), and the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter value (SPAD value) under elevated $CO_2$ conditions ($800{\mu}mol/mol$) compared to ambient $CO_2$ conditions ($400{\mu}mol/mol$). Under elevated $CO_2$ conditions, the photosynthetic rate (A) increased although photosystem II (PS II) photochemical activity ($F_v/F_m$) decreased. The maximum photosynthetic rate ($A_{max}$) was higher under elevated $CO_2$ conditions than under ambient $CO_2$ conditions, whereas the maximum electron transport rate ($J_{max}$) was lower under elevated $CO_2$ conditions compared to ambient $CO_2$ conditions. The optimal temperature for photosynthesis shifted significantly by approximately $3^{\circ}C$ under the elevated $CO_2$ conditions. With the increase in temperature, the photosynthetic rate increased below the optimal temperature (approximately $30^{\circ}C$) and decreased above the optimal temperature, whereas the dark respiration rate ($R_d$) increased continuously regardless of the optimal temperature. The difference in photosynthetic rate between ambient and elevated $CO_2$ conditions was greatest near the optimal temperature. These results indicate that future increases in $CO_2$ will increase productivity by increasing the photosynthetic rate, although it may cause damage to the PS II reaction center as suggested by decreases in $F_v/F_m$, in soybean.