Short-term CO2 exchange response to temperature, irradiance, and CO2 concentration in strawberry

Relative importance of short-term environmental interaction and preconditioning to CO2 exchange response was examined in Fragaria ananasa (strawberry, cv. Quinault). Tests included an orthogonal comparison of 15 to 60-min and 6 to 7-h exposures to different levels of temperature (16 to 32°C), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 200 to 800 μE m(2) s(-1)), and CO2 (300 to 600 μl/l) on successive days of study. Plants were otherwise maintained at 21°C, 300 μE m(2) s(-1) PAR and 300-360 μl/l CO2 as standard conditions. Treatment was restricted to the mean interval of 14 h daily illumination and the first 3-4 days of each test week over a 12-week cultivation period. CO2 exchange rates were followed with each step-change in environmental level including ascending/descending temperature/PAR within a test period, initial response at standard conditions on successive days of testing, and measurement at reduced O2. Response generally supported prior concepts of leaf biochemical modeling in identifying CO2 fixation as the major site of environmental influence, while overall patterns of whole plant CO2 exchange suggested additional effects for combined environmental factors and preconditioning. These included a positive interaction between temperature and CO2 concentration on photosynthesis at high irradiance and a greater contribution by 'dark' respiration at lower PAR than previously indicated. The further importance of estimating whole plant CO2 exchange from repetitive tests and measurements was evidenced by a high correlation of response to prior treatment both during the daily test period and on consecutive days of testing.