1. ISSN (Print): 2328-3777, ISSN (Online): 2328-3785, ISSN (CD-ROM): 2328-3793
American International Journal of
Research in Formal, Applied
& Natural Sciences
AIJRFANS 14-219; © 2014, AIJRFANS All Rights Reserved Page 37
Available online at http://www.iasir.net
AIJRFANS is a refereed, indexed, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary and open access journal published by
International Association of Scientific Innovation and Research (IASIR), USA
(An Association Unifying the Sciences, Engineering, and Applied Research)
Effect of elevated CO2 over Sugarcane crop
Kapil Madan1
, D.S.Shukla1
,Richa Tripathi1
, Akanksha Tripathi2
, H.D.Dwivedi3
1
Botany Department, MLK PG College, Balrampur
2
Zoology Department, MLK PG College, Balrampur
3
Botany Department, Shakti Smarak Sansthan, Balrampur
I. Introduction
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by approximately 40 parts per million (ppm)
since 1958 and is expected to reach 550 ppm by the middle of the next century (1
Houghton et al., 1992;
2
Schimel et al., 1996). This increase in the concentrations of CO2, the building block for the sugars
manufactured by photosynthesis, has prompted considerable interest in the potential impact of elevated CO2 on
vegetation and in particular on agricultural
crops. Yield responses to elevated CO2, however, have been found to be species dependent. Species which
feature good transport capacity and large sinks can best maximize the use of extra carbon fixed under elevated
CO2 (3
Schnyder and Baum, 1992; 4
Korner and Miglietta, 1994).Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a
species, which features both large and an efficient method of sucrose transport, important prerequisites for a
large response to elevated CO2.
The objective of the current study is to find out the effect of elevated CO2 over the major cash crop of India in
modern polluted environment having naturally elevated level of CO2 and other gases.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Gas generation and distribution- CO2 was stored in liquified form in a refrigerated tank and liquid CO2 was
heated in a vapouriser after leaving the tank. CO2 was supplied continuously to the chambers within which
concentrations were controlled by a feedback mechanism. An air sample from each open top chamber requiring
CO2 control was drawn via a diaphragm pump into an infra-red gas analyser (Model WMA-2, PP Systems,
Hitchin, Herts., UK) and the CO2 concentration regulated to the required concentration by adjusting the flow
rate to the chamber by means of its associated mass flow controller.
Sugarcane growing practice at laboratory and research field- Soil nutrient levels were determined by soil
test after which fertilizer was applied at a rate of 250 gm NPK/ M2
. The Sugarcane sets (Var. CO0228) were
sprayed with an insecticide/fungicide mixture at approximately weekly intervals to prevent the spread of Red
Rot and aphid borne viral diseases. The experimental as well as the control plants were irrigated with
underground water at an interval of 15 days. The dates of important activities are given in Table 1.
Year Date
2011 14 & 15 Sep
20 November
25 November
5 Jan
Sugarcane sets planted in open top chambers
Simazine 0.1 % Solution applied
NPK applied@ 250 gms/M2
Final harvest
2012 10-12 Sep
10 Nov
28 Nov
30 Dec
Sugarcane sets planted in open top chambers
Simazine 0.1 % Solution applied
NPK applied@ 250 gms/M2
Final harvest
Table-1 .Time table of agronomic Practice
Elevated CO2 Treatment-The concentration of carbon dioxide in the elevated treatments was 700 ppm which
was supplied throughout day and night. In 2011 and 2012 CO2 was supplied, 25 days after the plant sets had
been transferred to the open top chambers, until the final harvest.
Abstract: Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) were grown in open top chambers at advanced laboratory
of Environment and Plant Responses at, PG Department of Botany, MLK PG College, Balrampur and
exposed to ambient and elevated concentrations of CO2 in the 2011and 2012 growing seasons. Exposure to
elevated CO2 increased fresh Juice yield by 24% in both years of the study.

2. Kapil Madan et al., American International Journal of Research in Formal, Applied & Natural Sciences, 6(1), March-May 2014, pp. 37-38
AIJRFANS 14-219; © 2014, AIJRFANS All Rights Reserved Page 38
III. Observations
Fifteen plants were sampled at random from each experimental plot in the final harvest of 2011 and 2012.The
length of plant was taken 1.5 meter from the soil surface. The following parameters were determined as per
Table-2
Cocentration of CO2 Exposure Year Total weight of plants
(15 Plants)
Total fresh juice
Control Plants
With ambient CO2 (About 350 ppm) exposure
2011 14.6 Kg 9.8 Kg
2012 15.2 Kg 10.3 Kg
Experimental plants
With 700ppm CO2 exposure
2011 17.1 Kg 12.1 Kg
2012 18.7 Kg 12.8 Kg
Table-2 .fresh juice yield at different concentrations of CO2
IV. Results and Discussion
Increasing the concentration of CO2 from 350 ppm to 700 ppm increased Sugarcane fresh weight as well as
Fresh Juice yield by 24% in both years of the study. CO2 fumigation commenced late in the 2011and 2012
growing seasons, 25 days after the Sugarcane sets had been transplanted to the field site. The yield increase was
attributable to the fact that the sugarcane plants, grew larger with respect to diameter and was classified into
larger size grades in comparison to plants from the ambient CO2 treatments. It would appear that elevated CO2
altered the hierarchy of plants causing internodes to be favored as sinks for assimilate and others to be resorbed.
Exposure to elevated CO2 increased stomatal conductance. This is a common response reported for C4 plants
exposed to elevated concentrations of CO2. The explanation of the exact mechanism remains inconclusive.
5
Lawlor and Keys (1993) have proposed that a stimulation of CO2 assimilation in the stomatal guard cells at
elevated CO2 concentrations competes for ATP with the ion transport process which transfers ions into the
guard cells maintaining the turgor required to keep these cells open.
Conclusion- About 24% increase in fresh juice yield was obtained after increasing the CO2 concentration from
350 ppm to 700 ppm (Double). With the increasing global CO2 concentration it will be relieving information
especially for developing countries like India to take up cash crop like Sugarcane as main cash crop. Being a C4
plant Sugarcane crop was benefitted with elevated levels of CO2.
Reference
[1]. Houghton, J.T., Callander, B.A. and Varney, S.K (1992). International Panel on Climate change; the supplementary report to the
IPCC Scientific assessment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 200pp.
[2]. Schimel, D.S., Braswell, B.H., McKeown, R., O jima, D.S., Parton, W. and Pulliam, W. (1996). Climate and nitrogen controls on
the geography and timescales of terrestrial biogeochemical cycling. Global Biogeochemical cycles 10: 677-692.
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and dry matter accumulation. European Journal of Agronomy 1: 51-57.
[4]. Korner, C.H. and Miglietta, F. (1994). Long term effects of naturally elevated CO2 on Mediterranean grassland and forest trees.
Oecologia, 99: 343-351.
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