Low-Cost System for Maintaining Low Atmospheric CO₂ Levels During Arabidopsis Cultivation

Abstract

Photosynthesis requires CO₂ as the carbon source, and the levels of ambient CO₂ determine the oxygenation or carboxylation of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) by RuBP carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Low CO₂ levels lead to oxygenation and result in photorespiration, which ultimately causes a reduction in net carbon assimilation through photosynthesis. Therefore, an increased understanding of plant responses to low CO₂ contributes to the knowledge of how plants circumvent the harmful effects of photorespiration. Methods for elevating CO₂ above ambient concentrations are often achieved by external sources of CO_2, but reducing CO₂ below the ambient value is much more difficult as CO₂ gas needs to be scrubbed from the atmosphere rather than added to it. Here, we describe a low-cost method of achieving low CO₂ conditions for Arabidopsis growth.