Interactive Effect of Elevated Temperature and Carbon Dioxide on LAI and NDVI in Wheat Crop

Climate change, characterized by elevated temperature and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration, poses significant challenges to global agricultural systems. This study investigates the effects of elevated temperature and CO₂ on key growth parameters, including Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Controlled environment experiments were conducted to simulate future climate conditions, combining varying temperature regimes with elevated CO₂ level. Maximum LAI found under ECO2 condition followed by AMB, ECT and ET respectively. LAI showed the same trend with respect to treatments irrespective of the CO2 and temperature level i.e. SCU> NCU> NANO> CONTROL. NDVI also maximum at anthesis stage compared to maximum tillering and near maturity stage. With respect to fertilizer treatments, NDVI showed the same trend as LAI under different interactions of elevated CO2 and temperature. However, higher temperatures alone negatively affected these parameters by accelerating senescence and reducing leaf expansion. When elevated CO₂ and temperature were combined, a partial mitigation of temperature stress was observed, although the extent of mitigation varied depending on the growth stage. This study highlights the complex interactions between temperature and CO₂, underscoring the need for adaptive agronomic strategies to sustain wheat productivity in changing climate.