• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.245-263
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• 2013

This study was conducted to find out the influence of elevated atmospheric $CO_2$ concentrations and air temperature on photosynthesis and fruit quality of 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees and to investigate these to the effects of climate change during the last four years (2009-2012). The treatments employed were: 'Ambient' (ambient temperature + ambient $CO_2$ concentration); 'High $CO_2$' (ambient temperature + elevated $CO_2$ concentration); 'High Temp'. (elevated temperature + ambient $CO_2$ concentration); and 'High $CO_2$ + High Temp'. (elevated temperature + elevated $CO_2$ concentration). The elevated temperature plots were maintained at $4^{\circ}C$ higher than ambient air temperature, while the elevated $CO_2$ plots were maintained at 700 ${\mu}mol{\cdot}mol^{-1}$. Annual treatment period was applied from end of April to beginning of November for four years. Results showed that elevated $CO_2$ decreased stomatal conductance and leaf SPAD value, but increased photosynthetic rate, intercellular $CO_2$ concentration (Ci), and starch content of mesophyll tissue. In the vegetative growth, elevated temperature increased total number of shoot and total shoot growth per tree, but elevated $CO_2$ decreased average shoot length. In the fruit quality, elevated $CO_2$ increased soluble solid content, fruit red color, and ethylene production. In conclusion, elevated $CO_2$ increased photosynthetic rate of apples during the early growth, but effect of increased photosynthetic rate due to elevated $CO_2$ was decreased during latter growth stage. Elevated temperature, on the other hand, tended to decrease photosynthetic rate of apples during the early growth, but that tended to increase during latter growth stage. Both elevated $CO_2$ and temperature tended to decrease the degree of decreased photosynthetic rate due to each factor.