Elevated CO(2) alleviates the negative impact of heat stress on wheat physiology but not on grain yield

Hot days are becoming hotter and more frequent, threatening wheat yields worldwide. Developing wheat varieties ready for future climates calls for improved understanding of how elevated CO(2) (eCO(2)) and heat stress (HS) interactively impact wheat yields. We grew a modern, high-yielding wheat cultivar (Scout) at ambient CO(2) (aCO(2), 419 μl l (−1)) or eCO(2) (654 μl l(−1)) in a glasshouse maintained at 22/15 °C (day/night). Half of the plants were exposed to HS (40/24 °C) for 5 d at anthesis. In non-HS plants, eCO(2) enhanced (+36%) CO(2) assimilation rates (A(sat)) measured at growth CO(2) despite down-regulation of photosynthetic capacity. HS reduced A(sat) (–42%) in aCO(2)- but not in eCO(2)-grown plants because eCO(2) protected photosynthesis by increasing ribulose bisphosphate regeneration capacity and reducing photochemical damage under HS. eCO(2) stimulated biomass (+35%) of all plants and grain yield (+30%) of non-HS plants only. Plant biomass initially decreased following HS but recovered at maturity due to late tillering. HS equally reduced grain yield (–40%) in aCO(2)- and eCO(2)-grown plants due to grain abortion and reduced grain filling. While eCO(2) mitigated the negative impacts of HS at anthesis on wheat photosynthesis and biomass, grain yield was reduced by HS in both CO(2) treatments.