Abstract:
The AGFACE project commenced in June 2007 at Horsham (3684500700S, 14280605200E; 127m elevation),
Victoria, Australia. Its aim is to quantify the interactive effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration
(e[CO2]), nitrogen, temperature (accomplished by early and late sowing times), and soil moisture on the growth, yield, and
water use of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Australian conditions. The main engineering goal of the project was to
maintain an even temporal and spatial distribution of carbon dioxide (CO2) at 550 mmol/mol within AGFACE rings
containing the experimental treatments. Monitoring showed that e[CO2] at the ring-centres was maintained at or above
90% of the target (495 mmol/mol) between 93 and 98% of the operating time across the 8 rings and within 10% of the target
(495�605 mmol/mol) between 86 and 94% of the time. The carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) measured inside the rings
declined non-linearly with increasing distance downwind of the CO2 source and differed by 3�13% in concentration
between the two canopy heights in each ring, but was not affected by wind speed or small variations in [CO2] at the
ring-centres. The median values for model-predicted concentrations within the inner 11-m-diameter portion of the rings
(>80%of the ring area) varied between 524 and 871 mmol/mol but remained close to target near the centres. The design criteria
adopted from existing pure CO2 fumigating FACE systems and new ideas incorporated in the AGFACE system provided a
performance similar to its equivalent systems. This provides confidence in the results that will be generated from experiments
using the AGFACE system.