Physiological and proteomic evidence for the interactive effects of post-anthesis heat stress and elevated CO2 on wheat

Publication Type

Journal contribution (peer reviewed)

Authors

Zhang, X., Högy, P., Wu, X., Schmid, I., Wang, X., Schulze, W.X., Jiang, D., Fangmeier, A.

Year of publication

2018

Published in

Proteomics

DOI

10.1002/pmic.201800262

Page (from - to)

1800262

Elevated CO₂ promotes leaf photosynthesis and improves crop grain yield. However, as a major anthropogenic greenhouse gas, CO₂ contributes to more frequent and severe heat stress, which threatens crop productivity. The combined effects of elevated CO₂ and heat stress are complex, and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the effects of elevated CO₂ and high-temperature on foliar physiological traits and the proteome of spring wheat grown under two CO₂ concentrations (380 and 550 μmol mol^-1) and two temperature conditions (ambient and post-anthesis heat stress). Elevated CO₂ increased leaf photosynthetic traits, biomass and grain yield, while heat stress depressed photosynthesis and yield. Temperature-induced impacts on chlorophyll content and grain yield were not significantly different under the two CO₂ concentrations. Analysis of the leaf proteome revealed that proteins involved in photosynthesis as well as antioxidant and protein synthesis pathways were significantly down-regulated due to the combination of elevated CO₂ and heat stress. Correspondingly, plants treated with elevated CO₂ and heat stress exhibited decreased green leaf area, photosynthetic rate, antioxidant enzyme activities and 1000-kernel weight. The present study demonstrated that future post-anthesis heat episodes will diminish the positive effects of elevated CO₂ and negatively impact wheat production