Influence of Elevated CO2 and Temperature on Yield Attributes of Rice and Wheat in Central India

Elevated CO2 and rising temperature are the major climate changing drivers to attain sustainability in agriculture. The current experiment was carried out to evaluate the extent of impact of climate changing factors on rice and wheat crop. Field experiment was carried out under a Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) condition. The treatments consisted of ambient CO2 and temperature, elevated CO2 of 600ppm + ambient temperature, ambient CO2 + elevated temperature (+2°C), ambient CO2+elevated temperature (+3°C), elevated CO2 of 600 ppm + elevated temperature (+2°C) and elevated CO2 600ppm + elevated temperature (+3°C). The plant yield attributes were biomass, tillers per plant, productive tillers per plant, failure tillers per plant, total number of grains per panicle, failure grains per panicle and test weight. Elevated CO2 stimulated biomass and other yield attributes in both crops. However, elevated temperature inhibited yield attributes. Elevated CO2 enhanced biomass but elevated temperature reduced biomass of crops. Elevated CO2 influenced tillers per plant in rice by -26.9% to 16.6% and in wheat by 3.7% to 25.9%. Elevated temperature affected number tillers up to 26.9%. Number of productive tillers in rice ranged from -28.5% to 21.4% and in wheat by -29.1% to 36%. In wheat the number of grains per panicle varied from -24.3% to 6%. Test weight of grains varied from -9.1% to 4.6% in rice. Combined effect of elevated CO2 and elevated temperature had differential effect on crops. Study highlights that yield attributes and productivity of rice and wheat crop will be affected under elevated CO2 and rising temperature in central part of India and warrants necessary interventions to alleviate climate stress.