5.2 Crop Yield

Understand the effects on crop yield of increased carbon dioxide and increased temperature in glasshouses

Rate of photosynthesis:

CO2 + H2O ----light/enzyme---> C6H12O6 + 6O2

1. Increasing concentration of carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is the substrate. 

If we increase the concentration of substrate, the rate of reaction will increase and become constant at one point. 

This means we will have a higher yield up to a point when we reach the optimum carbon dioxide level. That point will give you the highest yield of product. 

2. Increasing temperature

The higher the temperature, the greater the kinetic energy. This means that particles collide into each other more frequently, resulting in higher chance for them to collide in correct orientation with greater temperature --> higher rate of reaction. 

However, a temperature which is too high can also do denature the enzyme and therefore slow down the rate of reaction. 

The peak of the graph is the optimum temperature. 

Increasing temperature also have other effect such as avoiding frost damage and providing constant temperature. 

If we increase the temperature and carbon dioxide, we will increase the rate of photosynthesis, and therefore yield. But they all have limit.