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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp1 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Impact of elevated carbon dioxide on plant growth, physiology and yield of vegetable cowpea cv. Arka Garima

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12335
Submitted
18 October 2025
Published
08-04-2026

Abstract

The continuous rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration due to global climate change necessitates research into its effects on important food crops. The experiment was conducted in 2023 at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad. This controlled environment open-top chamber (OTC) experiment evaluated the impact of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) on the growth, physiology and yield of vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. cv. Arka Garima). The study compared 2 CO₂ treatment levels: ambient CO₂ (aCO₂) maintained at 380 ± 25 ppm and an elevated concentration (eCO₂) of 550 ± 25 ppm. The results demonstrated that eCO₂ profoundly and positively altered cowpea plants, leading to an increase in vegetative growth and reproductive productivity. Morphological parameters exhibited substantial enhancements, including a dramatic increase in root volume (67.80 %, p = 0.001), plant height (41.29 %, p<0.001) and stem dry weight (37.52%, p = 0.005). Physiological responses indicated an improved plant status under CO₂ enrichment. The most notable finding was the accumulation of total soluble sugars (TSS), which increased by 15.58 % (p<0.001), reflecting enhanced photosynthesis. The leaf physiological status improved significantly, with the membrane stability index (MSI) increasing by 8.59 % (p = 0.001) and total chlorophyll content increasing by 6.88 % (p = 0.007). Elevated CO₂ levels significantly boosted crop yield and attributed traits. The number of pods per plant increased by 27.91 % (p<0.001), combined with an 18.75 % (p<0.001) increase in average pod weight and the total pod yield per plant showed a highly significant 30.89 % increase (p<0.001). These findings indicate that the cowpea cultivar Arka Garima is highly responsive to CO₂ enrichment, offering essential insights into effective crop management and adaptation strategies in the face of changing climatic conditions.

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