Phloem function: a key to understanding and manipulating plant responses to rising atmospheric [CO2]?

Adaptive responses to elevated CO2 in fruit species with different phloem loading mechanisms

Introduction

It has been suggested that the mechanism of phloem loading, that is apoplastic or symplastic loading, may affect a plant's ability to adapt to elevated CO2 levels. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) are two fruit crops that use different mechanisms to load sugars into the phloem - the former symplastically and the latter apoplastically - yet both species can increase their yields when grown in a CO2-enriched environment. In this study, we subjected strawberry and tomato plants to long-term CO2 enrichment to determine the morphological and physiological adaptations that enable them to increase their yields in response to higher CO2 levels.

Methods

Transplanted tomato and strawberry plants were subjected to ambient (400 ppm) and elevated (800 ppm) CO2 for three months. We examined various parameters associated with growth, yield, photosynthesis, and carbon allocation by means of phenotyping, gas exchange analysis, and 13C labelling combined with isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

Results

We found that CO2 enrichment promoted growth and reproductive development in both species, resulting in more flowers per plant (tomato and strawberry), larger crown (strawberry), and, eventually, higher yields. Gas exchange analysis and A/c i curves revealed that elevated CO2 increased carbon assimilation rate in strawberry, but not in tomato - the latter being limited by Rubisco's carboxylation efficiency. Finally, whereas both species prioritized fruit development over the development of other sink organs, they were both limited by carbon export at elevated CO2, since new photoassimilates were equally distributed to various sinks between CO2 treatments.

Discussion

The findings suggest that both species will benefit from future increases in CO2 levels and support current glasshouse practices entailing CO2 enrichment. Those benefits probably stem from an enhanced performance of both species at early developmental stages, as differences in carbon assimilation rate (tomato) and carbon allocation between treatments at late developmental stages were absent. Moreover, crop adaptation to elevated CO2 seems to depend on the ability of each species to respond to elevated CO2, rather than on the phloem loading mechanism per se.

The decline of plant mineral nutrition under rising CO2: physiological and molecular aspects of a bad deal

The elevation of atmospheric CO₂ concentration has a strong impact on the physiology of C3 plants, far beyond photosynthesis and C metabolism. In particular, it reduces the concentrations of most mineral nutrients in plant tissues, posing major threats on crop quality, nutrient cycles, and carbon sinks in terrestrial agro-ecosystems. The causes of the detrimental effect of high CO₂ levels on plant mineral status are not understood. We provide an update on the main hypotheses and review the increasing evidence that, for nitrogen, this detrimental effect is associated with direct inhibition of key mechanisms of nitrogen uptake and assimilation. We also mention promising strategies for identifying genotypes that will maintain robust nutrient status in a future high-CO₂ world.

Leaf coordination between petiole vascular development and water demand in response to elevated CO2 in tomato plants

The rise in atmospheric CO2 has a profound impact on plants physiology and performance. Stomatal gas exchange such as reduction in water loss via transpiration and higher photosynthetic rates are among the key plant physiological traits altered by the increase of CO2. Water acquired in plant roots is transported via the xylem vessels to the shoots. Under conditions of elevated CO2, water flux decreases due to higher water use efficiency and a decline in stomatal conductance. However, the mechanism by which the shoot vascular development is affected under elevated CO2 is still largely unclear in herbaceous crops. In the current study, tomato plants were exposed to either 400 or 800 ppm of CO2 and were analyzed for growth, leaf area, gas exchange rate, and petiole anatomy. Elevated CO2 caused a reduction in metaxylem vessel diameter, which in turn, decreased leaf theatrical conductivity by 400% as compared with plants grown under ambient CO2. This work links anatomical changes in the petioles to the rise in atmospheric CO2 and water use. Plant water demand declined under elevated CO2, while photosynthesis increased. Thus, the decrease in leaf specific conductivity was attributed to lower water consumption in leaf gas exchange and, by extension, to higher leaf water use efficiency. As the global climate changes and water scarcity becomes more common, such anatomical alterations caused by elevated CO2 may affect plant response to water limitation. Further research on petiole anatomical alterations under conditions of combined climate change factors such as drought and heat with elevated CO2 may assist in clarifying the responses expected by future climate scenarios.

The potential of resilient carbon dynamics for stabilizing crop reproductive development and productivity during heat stress

Impaired carbon metabolism and reproductive development constrain crop productivity during heat stress. Reproductive development is energy intensive, and its requirement for respiratory substrates rises as associated metabolism increases with temperature. Understanding how these processes are integrated and the extent to which they contribute to the maintenance of yield during and following periods of elevated temperatures is important for developing climate-resilient crops. Recent studies are beginning to demonstrate links between processes underlying carbon dynamics and reproduction during heat stress, consequently a summation of research that has been reported thus far and an evaluation of purported associations are needed to guide and stimulate future research. To this end, we review recent studies relating to source-sink dynamics, non-foliar photosynthesis and net carbon gain as pivotal in understanding how to improve reproductive development and crop productivity during heat stress. Rapid and precise phenotyping during narrow phenological windows will be important for understanding mechanisms underlying these processes, thus we discuss the development of relevant high-throughput phenotyping approaches that will allow for more informed decision-making regarding future crop improvement.

An Oxygen Delivery Polymer Enhances Seed Germination in a Martian-like Environment

Critical to the success of establishing a sustainable human presence on Mars is the ability to economically grow crop plants. Several environmental factors make it difficult to fully rely on local resources for agriculture. These include nutrient sparse regolith, low and fluctuating temperatures, a high amount of ultraviolet radiation, and water trapped locally in the form of ice or metal oxides. While the 96% CO2 martian atmosphere is ideal to support photosynthesis, high CO2 concentrations inhibit germination. An added difficulty is the fact that a vast majority of crop plants require oxygen for germination. Here, we report the production of a polymer-based oxygen delivery system that supports the germination and growth of cress seeds (Lepidium sativum) in a martian regolith simulant under a martian atmosphere at 101 kPa. The oxygen-donating system is based on a low-density lightly cross-linked polyacrylate that is foamed and converted into a dry powder. It is lightweight, added in low amounts to regolith simulant, and efficiently donates enough oxygen throughout the volume of hydrated regolith simulant to fully support seed germination and plant growth. Germination rates, plant development, and plant mass are nearly identical for L. sativum grown in 100% CO2 in the presence of the oxygen-donating lightly cross-linked polyacrylate compared with plants grown in air. The polymer system also serves to protect root structures and better anchors plants in the regolith simulant.

Contrasting acclimation responses to elevated CO2 and warming between an evergreen and a deciduous boreal conifer

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) concentrations may warm northern latitudes up to 8°C by the end of the century. Boreal forests play a large role in the global carbon cycle, and the responses of northern trees to climate change will thus impact the trajectory of future CO₂ increases. We grew two North American boreal tree species at a range of future climate conditions to assess how growth and carbon fluxes were altered by high CO₂ and warming. Black spruce (Picea mariana, an evergreen conifer) and tamarack (Larix laricina, a deciduous conifer) were grown under ambient (407 ppm) or elevated CO₂ (750 ppm) and either ambient temperatures, a 4°C warming, or an 8°C warming. In both species, the thermal optimum of net photosynthesis (T_optA ) increased and maximum photosynthetic rates declined in warm-grown seedlings, but the strength of these changes varied between species. Photosynthetic capacity (maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation, V_cmax , and of electron transport, J_max ) was reduced in warm-grown seedlings, correlating with reductions in leaf N and chlorophyll concentrations. Warming increased the activation energy for V_cmax and J_max (E_aV and E_aJ , respectively) and the thermal optimum for J_max . In both species, the T_optA was positively correlated with both E_aV and E_aJ , but negatively correlated with the ratio of J_max /V_cmax . Respiration acclimated to elevated temperatures, but there were no treatment effects on the Q₁₀ of respiration (the increase in respiration for a 10°C increase in leaf temperature). A warming of 4°C increased biomass in tamarack, while warming reduced biomass in spruce. We show that climate change is likely to negatively affect photosynthesis and growth in black spruce more than in tamarack, and that parameters used to model photosynthesis in dynamic global vegetation models (E_aV and E_aJ ) show no response to elevated CO₂ .

Natural genetic variation in photosynthesis: an untapped resource to increase crop yield potential?

Raising crop yield potential is a major goal to ensure food security for the growing global population. Photosynthesis is the primary determinant of crop productivity and any gain in photosynthetic CO2 assimilation per unit of leaf area (A) has the potential to increase yield. Significant intraspecific variation in A is known to exist in various autotrophic organs that represent an unexploited target for crop improvement. However, the large number of factors that influence photosynthetic rates often makes it difficult to measure or estimate A under dynamic field conditions (i.e. fluctuating light intensities or temperatures). This complexity often results in photosynthetic capacity, rather than realized photosynthetic rates being used to assess natural variation in photosynthesis. Here we review the work on natural variation in A, the different factors determining A and their interaction in yield formation. A series of drawbacks and perspectives are presented for the most common analyses generally used to estimate A. The different yield components and their determination based on different photosynthetic organs are discussed with a major focus on potential exploitation of various traits for crop improvement. To conclude, an example of different possibilities to increase yield in wheat through enhancing A is illustrated.

Biotechnological strategies for improved photosynthesis in a future of elevated atmospheric CO2

The improvement of photosynthesis using biotechnological approaches has been the focus of much research. It is now vital that these strategies be assessed under future atmospheric conditions. The demand for crop products is expanding at an alarming rate due to population growth, enhanced affluence, increased per capita calorie consumption, and an escalating need for plant-based bioproducts. While solving this issue will undoubtedly involve a multifaceted approach, improving crop productivity will almost certainly provide one piece of the puzzle. The improvement of photosynthetic efficiency has been a long-standing goal of plant biotechnologists as possibly one of the last remaining means of achieving higher yielding crops. However, the vast majority of these studies have not taken into consideration possible outcomes when these plants are grown long-term under the elevated CO₂ concentrations (e[CO₂]) that will be evident in the not too distant future. Due to the considerable effect that CO₂ levels have on the photosynthetic process, these assessments should become commonplace as a means of ensuring that research in this field focuses on the most effective approaches for our future climate scenarios. In this review, we discuss the main biotechnological research strategies that are currently underway with the aim of improving photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production/yields in the context of a future of e[CO₂], as well as alternative approaches that may provide further photosynthetic benefits under these conditions.

Mixotrophic in vitro cultivations: the way to go astray in plant physiology

Rate of photosynthesis and related plant carbohydrate status are crucial factors affecting plant vigor. Sugars providing carbon and energy sources serve also as important signaling molecules governing plant growth and development through a complex regulatory network. These facts are often neglected when mixotrophic cultivation of plants in vitro is used, where artificial exogenous sugar supply hinders studies of metabolism as well as sugar-driven developmental processes. We compared the growth, selected gas-exchange parameters and sugar metabolism characteristics in four model plants, potato (Solanum tuberosum 'Lada'), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum 'Samsun'), rapeseed (Brassica napus 'Asgard') and strawberry (Fragaria vesca), under both photomixotrophic (PM) and photoautotrophic (PA) conditions. To ensure PA conditions, we used our improved sun caps that serve as gas and light permeable covers for cultivation vessels. We found bigger biomass accumulation, larger leaf areas, higher stomatal conductance and higher instantaneous water use efficiency and lower root sugar contents in PA plants compared to PM ones. However, for other characteristics (root biomass, root/shoot ratio, pigment contents, leaf sugar and starch levels and transpiration rates), a strong species-dependent reactions to the exogenous sugar supply was noted, which does not allow to create a general view on the overall impact of PM nutrition under in vitro conditions.

Plant-PET to investigate phloem vulnerability to drought in Populus tremula under changing climate regimes

Phloem transport is of great importance in trees to distribute assimilated carbon across the entire tree. Nevertheless, knowledge of phloem is incomplete, because of the complexity of measuring its transport and characteristics. Only few studies have addressed how phloem transport might alter under climatic changes, with most data originating from theoretical studies. We measured phloem characteristics in leaves of young Populus tremula L. trees grown during 5 months under ambient (TA, 404 ppm ± 5) and elevated (TE, 659 ppm ± 3) atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) using a combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and compartmental modelling. Short-term phloem dynamics were measured in vivo and non-invasively using the short-lived isotope of carbon, 11C (half-life 20.4 min). Trees were scanned in well-watered and dry conditions to assess changes in phloem characteristics induced by drought. Reliability of the PET-derived results was verified with reported observations in the literature. Phloem speed was highest in well-watered TE trees and strongly reduced by 81% under drought, whereas phloem speed reduced by 61% in TA trees at the same level of drought. These findings led us to speculate that phloem transport in TE trees might be more vulnerable to drought. We discuss how a higher phloem vulnerability to drought in a changing climate could impact tree hydraulic functioning. Taken together our results suggest that trees grown for 5 months under elevated [CO2] seem to be less well-acclimated to face projected hotter droughts in a changing climate.

Human impacts in African savannas are mediated by plant functional traits

Tropical savannas have a ground cover dominated by C₄ grasses, with fire and herbivory constraining woody cover below a rainfall-based potential. The savanna biome covers 50% of the African continent, encompassing diverse ecosystems that include densely wooded Miombo woodlands and Serengeti grasslands with scattered trees. African savannas provide water, grazing and browsing, food and fuel for tens of millions of people, and have a unique biodiversity that supports wildlife tourism. However, human impacts are causing widespread and accelerating degradation of savannas. The primary threats are land cover-change and transformation, landscape fragmentation that disrupts herbivore communities and fire regimes, climate change and rising atmospheric CO₂ . The interactions among these threats are poorly understood, with unknown consequences for ecosystem health and human livelihoods. We argue that the unique combinations of plant functional traits characterizing the major floristic assemblages of African savannas make them differentially susceptible and resilient to anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem change. Research must address how this functional diversity among African savannas differentially influences their vulnerability to global change and elucidate the mechanisms responsible. This knowledge will permit appropriate management strategies to be developed to maintain ecosystem integrity, biodiversity and livelihoods.

Similar photosynthetic response to elevated carbon dioxide concentration in species with different phloem loading strategies

Species have different strategies for loading sugars into the phloem, which vary in the route that sugars take to enter the phloem and the energetics of sugar accumulation. Species with passive phloem loading are hypothesized to have less flexibility in response to changes in some environmental conditions because sucrose export from mesophyll cells is dependent on fixed anatomical plasmodesmatal connections. Passive phloem loaders also have high mesophyll sugar content, and may be less likely to exhibit sugar-mediated down-regulation of photosynthetic capacity at elevated CO₂ concentrations. To date, the effect of phloem loading strategy on the response of plant carbon metabolism to rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations is unclear, despite the widespread impacts of rising CO₂ on plants. Over three field seasons, five species with apoplastic loading, passive loading, or polymer-trapping were grown at ambient and elevated CO₂ concentration in free air concentration enrichment plots. Light-saturated rate of photosynthesis, photosynthetic capacity, leaf carbohydrate content, and anatomy were measured and compared among the species. All five species showed significant stimulation in midday photosynthetic CO₂ uptake by elevated CO₂ even though the two passive loading species showed significant down-regulation of maximum Rubisco carboxylation capacity at elevated CO₂. There was a trend toward greater starch accumulation at elevated CO₂ in all species, and was most pronounced in passive loaders. From this study, we cannot conclude that phloem loading strategy is a key determinant of plant response to elevated CO₂, but compelling differences in response counter to our hypothesis were observed. A phylogenetically controlled experiment with more species may be needed to fully test the hypothesis.