Abstract
Legumes provide an important source of food and feed due to their high protein levels and many health benefits, and also impart environmental and agronomic advantages as a consequence of their ability to fix nitrogen through their symbiotic relationship with rhizobia. As a result of our growing population, the demand for products derived from legumes will likely expand considerably in coming years. Since there is little scope for increasing production area, improving the productivity of such crops in the face of climate change will be essential. While a growing number of studies have assessed the effects of climate change on legume yield, there is a paucity of information regarding the direct impact of elevated CO(2) concentration (e[CO(2)]) itself, which is a main driver of climate change and has a substantial physiological effect on plants. In this review, we discuss current knowledge regarding the influence of e[CO(2)] on the photosynthetic process, as well as biomass production, seed yield, quality, and stress tolerance in legumes, and examine how these responses differ from those observed in non-nodulating plants. Although these relationships are proving to be extremely complex, mounting evidence suggests that under limiting conditions, overall declines in many of these parameters could ensue. While further research will be required to unravel precise mechanisms underlying e[CO(2)] responses of legumes, it is clear that integrating such knowledge into legume breeding programs will be indispensable for achieving yield gains by harnessing the potential positive effects, and minimizing the detrimental impacts, of CO(2) in the future.