A rising global population and demand for protein-rich diets are increasing pressure to maximize agricultural productivity. Rising atmospheric [CO 2] is altering global temperature and precipitation patterns, which challenges agricultural productivity. While rising [CO 2] provides a unique opportunity to increase the productivity of C 3 crops, average yield stimulation observed to date is well below potential gains. Thus, there is room for improving productivity. However, only a fraction of available germplasm of crops has been tested for CO 2 responsiveness. Yield is a complex phenotypic trait determined by the interactions of a genotype with the environment. Selection of promising genotypes and characterization of response mechanisms will only be effective if crop improvement and systems biology approaches are closely linked to production environments, that is, on the farm within major growing regions. Free air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) experiments can provide the platform upon which to conduct genetic screening and elucidate the inheritance and mechanisms that underlie genotypic differences in productivity under elevated [CO 2]. We propose a new generation of large-scale, low-cost per unit area FACE experiments to identify the most CO 2-responsive genotypes and provide starting lines for future breeding programmes. This is necessary if we are to realize the potential for yield gains in the future.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
Research Group:	Crop and Pasture Production
Research Field:	Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding)
Objective Division:	Plant Production and Plant Primary Products
Objective Group:	Winter Grains and Oilseeds
Objective Field:	Grain Legumes
UTAS Author:	McNeil, DL (Professor David McNeil)
ID Code:	55240
Year Published:	2008
Web of Science® Times Cited:	100
Deposited By:	Agricultural Science
Deposited On:	2009-03-06
Last Modified:	2009-04-08
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