Abstract
Rising atmospheric CO 2 is projected to reach 700 μmol/mol by 2100, increasing global temperatures by ~3 °C and exacerbating drought frequency. Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), a drought-tolerant alternative to maize ( Zea mays ), may gain relevance under future climates. Here we grew sorghum and maize in growth chambers under ambient (400 μmol/mol CO 2 , 24/18 °C day/night) and future (700 μmol/mol CO 2 , 27/21 °C day/night) environmental conditions, with and without drought. Drought was imposed by withholding water until soil moisture reached 20% field capacity, which was then maintained for one week. Under high CO 2 and high temperature, although both maize and sorghum achieved comparable biomass, growth was only promoted in sorghum by 67%. Its stomatal anatomical traits reduced cumulative transpiration by 18% while maintaining carbon assimilation, thereby improving water-use efficiency. With combined high CO 2 , high temperature and drought, maize and sorghum exhibited comparable biomass, but sorghum maintained gas exchange and quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII). Additionally, sorghum increased root growth, further mitigating future drought impacts on its growth compared to future control conditions. In contrast, maize photosynthesis and the quantum yield of PSII were severely impaired, thereby restricting growth. Thus the photosynthetic and water-use efficiency strategies of sorghum show its considerable potential as a future alternative crop, but further studies should verify whether these strategies persist during the reproductive stage and contribute to enhanced yield stability. • Maize and sorghum achieved comparable growth under future environments • High CO 2 and high temperature promoted water-use efficiency and growth in sorghum • Under future drought sorghum preserved stable photosynthetic performance • High CO 2 and high temperature limited growth in maize • Photosynthetic processes and growth were reduced in maize under future drought
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Under high carbon dioxide and temperature, sorghum growth increased by 67%.
SorghumNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Under high CO 2 and high temperature, although both maize and sorghum achieved comparable biomass, growth was only promoted in sorghum by 67%”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize and sorghum had comparable biomass under high carbon dioxide and temperature.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“both maize and sorghum achieved comparable biomass”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum stomatal traits reduced cumulative transpiration by 18% while maintaining carbon assimilation.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Its stomatal anatomical traits reduced cumulative transpiration by 18% while maintaining carbon assimilation”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum improved water-use efficiency under elevated carbon dioxide and temperature.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“thereby improving water-use efficiency”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize and sorghum had comparable biomass under combined high carbon dioxide, temperature and drought.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“With combined high CO 2 , high temperature and drought, maize and sorghum exhibited comparable biomass”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum maintained gas exchange and PSII quantum yield under future drought.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“sorghum maintained gas exchange and quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII)”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorghum increased root growth under future drought relative to future control conditions.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“sorghum increased root growth, further mitigating future drought impacts on its growth compared to future control conditions”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize photosynthesis and PSII quantum yield were severely impaired under future drought.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“maize photosynthesis and the quantum yield of PSII were severely impaired”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize growth was restricted under future drought.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“thereby restricting growth”
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