Amelioration of salinity on photosynthesis and some characteristics of three rapeseed (Brassica napus) cultivars under increased concentrations of carbon dioxide

This study was done to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of CO2 (CC) on rapeseed. Pot experiments were done with three cultivars (Okapi, Zarfam and RGS003) of rapeseed (Brassica napus) for salinity tolerance. Four levels of salinity (0, 5, 10 and 15dS m(-1)) were tested on the three cultivars at three CC (350, 700 and 1050mmolL(-1)) at the greenhouse of Tarbiat Modares University, Iran, during the crop seasons of 2010 to 2011. Three CCs were considered as three environments and the other two treatments (salinity and cultivar) were tested within these environments in a complete block design arranged as a factorial. Results indicated that photosynthetic rates declined with increasing levels of salinity. Elevated CC significantly increased rates of photosynthesis. The highest CC reduced the impact of salinity on photosynthesis. Increased CC reduced the rate of transpiration, which had the effects of increasing rates of photosynthesis and water use efficiency (WUE); these effects increased vegetative growth and reduced the adverse effects of salinity. Increased CC and salinity reduced harvest index. WUE increased with CC increment, and decreased with salinity elevation.