Quantitative Measurement of Carbon Dioxide Consumption of a Whole Paprika Plant (Capsicum annumm L.) Using a Large Sealed Chamber

• Published in: Weon'ye gwahag gi'sulji Vol. 29; no. 3
• Main Authors: Shin, J.H., Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Ahn, T.I., Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Son, J.E., Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.06.2011
• Subjects: CAPSICUM ANNUUM; leaf position; photosynthetic rate
• ISSN: 1226-8763

This study was carried out to clarify precise CO₂ demands of paprika plants (Capsicum annumm L.) by measuring photosynthesis rates of the leaves in high, low positions, and the CO₂ consumption of a whole plant in a large sealed chamber. A photosynthesis measuring system (LI-6400) was used to measure the photosynthetic rates of the leaves located in different positions. A large sealed chamber that can control inside environmental factors was developed for measuring CO₂ consumption by a whole paprika plant. With increase of radiation, photosynthetic rates of the leaves in higher position became larger than those in lower position. The CO₂ consumption by the plant was estimated by using decrement of CO₂ concentration from initial level of 1500 μmolㆍmol-¹ in the chamber with increase of integrated radiation. A regression model for estimating CO₂ consumption by the plant (leaf area = 7,533.4 ㎠) was expressed with integrated radiation (x) and was suggested as y = - 0.06234 + 3.671* x / (2.589 + x) (R² = 0.9966***). The photosynthetic rate of the whole plant measured in the chamber was 3.4 μmol CO₂ㆍm-²ㆍs-¹ under 300 μmolㆍm-²ㆍs-¹ light intensity, which is in-between photosynthetic rates of the leaves in high and low positions. For this reason, some differences between required and supplied CO₂ amounts in greenhouses might occur when depending too much on photosynthetic rates of leaves. Therefore, we can estimate more accurately CO₂ amount required in commercial greenhouses by using CO₂ consumption model of a whole plant obtained in this study in addition to leaf photosynthetic rate.