Acclimation to High CO2 in Bean

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Abstract
Young bean plants grew faster in air enriched with CO2 (1200 .mu.l/l) than in ambient CO2 (330 .mu.l/l). However, by 7 days when increases in overall growth (dry weight, leaf area) were visible, there was a significant decline (about 25%) in the leaf mineral content (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and a drop in the activity of 2 enzymes of carbon fixation, carbonic anhydrase and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase under high CO2. Although the activity of neither enzyme was altered in young, expanding leaves during the acclimation period, in mature leaves the activity of carbonic anhydrase was reduced 95% compared with a decline of 50% in ambient CO2. The drop in RuBP carboxylase was less extreme with 40% of the initial activity retained in the high CO2 compared with 50% in the ambient atmosphere. While CO2 enrichment might alter the flow of carbon into the glycolate pathway by modifying the activities of carbonic anhydrase or RuBP carboxylase, there is no early change in the ability of photosynthetic tissue to oxidize glycolate to CO2.