Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine how elevated $CO_2$ and temperature affected early growth and competition between direct seeded rice (Oryza sativa) and a common paddy weed (Echinochloa glabrascens). By using temperature gradient chambers. Rice and E. glabrescens were grown for 5 weeks at ratios of 1:0. 3:1 and 0:1 at three temperatures ($16.4^{\circ}C,\;19.8^{\circ}C,\;and\;22.2^{\circ}C$) and either in ambient (361ppm) or elevated (566ppm) $CO_2$. For both species. elevated $CO_2$ had no effect on mainstem leaf number while air temperature had a slight positive effect which was greater in E. glabrescens than rice. With elevated $CO_2$ rice leaf area index and plant height increased alightly in all species combinations but no increases were observed for E. Glabuescens. For rice in all combinations. elevated $CO_2$ tended to increase the rot and total biomass much more than any other growth parameters: the increases in root and total biomass resulting from elevated $CO_2$ ranged from 16% to 40%. depending on air temperature. At the lowest temperature, the decrease in rice biomass in combination with E. glabrescens was significantly greater at elevated $CO_2$ (18%) than ambient $CO_2$ (3%). At the highest temperature, however, the decrease in rice biomass at elevated $CO_2$ (22%) was less than that at ambient $CO_2$ (36%). The competitive ability of rice as measured by the decrease in biomass when grown in combination with E. glabrescens depended strongly on root growth and/or allocation. These results suggest that at higher temperatures elevated $CO_2$ could enhance the competitive ability of direct seeded rice during early growth. However, at lower temperatures. the competitive ability of E. glabrescens seems to be greater.