Yield loss in rice by acute ozone pollution could be recovered

Rising concentration of surface O-3 threatens crop production and food security. To improve the evaluation and develop efficient adaptations, it is essential to study the effects of acute O-3 pollution. We adopted this study by open-top chamber (OTC) method and found that the fumigation of elevated O-3 (NF40) for short (tillering and jointing, heading and ripening) and long periods during rice growth reduced the grain yield by 17, 19 and 25%, respectively, showing that both of the acute and chronic O-3 pollution reduce rice production. Moreover, in comparison with the plants under chronic O-3 pollution, grain yield was increased when O-3 was removed at different stages: 32% increment at tillering and jointing and 34% increment at heading and ripening. These results suggest a possibility to recover the yield loss in rice under O-3 pollution.