School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses

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Wheat grain quality dynamics under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration in Mediterranean climate conditions

Fernando, Nimesha D. ( 2013)

Since 1959, carbon dioxide concentration [CO2] in the atmosphere increased from 315 µmol mol-1 to approximately 389 µmol mol-1 by 2009 in a rate of 1.5 µmol mol-1 per year. Within the next 50 years, atmospheric [CO2] will likely to rise to 550 µmol mol-1. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and a major factor that contributes to global warming. In parallel, global temperature is predicted to increase by an average of 1.5-4.5 ºC with more frequent occurrences of extreme climatic events such as heat waves and/or drought by the mid of this century. There is a limited understanding on the impact of elevated atmospheric [CO2] (e[CO2]) on wheat grain quality in semi-arid and Mediterranean cropping systems. The research reported in this thesis investigated the effects of e[CO2] on wheat grain physical, chemical, flour rheological properties under two main climate conditions: semi-arid and Mediterranean which represent the water-limited “mega-environment 4”, larger wheat grown area in the world as defined for wheat (Braun et al., 1996). The experiments were carried out using state art technology of free- air CO2 enrichment (FACE) facilities located in Walpeup and Horsham, Victoria, Australia. (See thesis for full abstract)