Find Your Ask the Expert: Requirements for Germination/Establishment
Hello,
I was just wondering if the conditions needed for plant growth are different for Germination than those for Establishment. I would like to know if photosynthesis begins once the plant is established. I know that germinating seeds need Oxygen, and increased levels of CO2 are detrimental to the process, so I was wondering if once the plant is established, an increased amount of CO2 would be beneficial as in a growing plant, or detrimental as in a germinating seed. Sorry if this sounds confusing, I don’t really know how to phrase it any better. Let me know if this needs to be clarified.
Thank you so much for your time and sharing your knowledge,
From,
Rob Buelow
Plant Expert Reply:
The Science Daily reported that “elevated atmospheric CO2 actually reduces plant growth when combined with other likely consequences of climate change – namely, higher temperatures, increased precipitation or increased nitrogen deposits in the soil”.
As with every situation, some plants will fair better than others with an increase of CO2 and their growth rate will be greatly improved. Other plants will have the opposite response and the plant growth will be inhibited. So, it is not really a question of whether increased CO2 in established plants will increase growth, but rather what is the optimum CO2 level for the particular plant you are trying to grow and what other envionrmental factors must occur in conjunction with the CO2.
Because we grow a variety of plants in our greenhouse, we don’t supplement the CO2 levels. We work within the natural CO2. Although, plants exposed to higher levels of CO2 can have an increase in growth, there is a trade off. Plant quality may decrease according to an article by Peter Curtis a professor of evolution, ecology and organismal biology at Ohio State University.
I am afraid my answer is very vague and won’t give you a clear cut way to proceed. If I knew what type of plants you are working with, I might be able to give a more definitive answer. I can only speak for my own situation and say that I personally would not increase the CO2 levels as a way to increase growth.
