Combined effects of elevated CO2 concentration and drought stress on photosynthetic performance and leaf structure of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings

Drought stress is one of the main environmental factors limiting plant growth and productivity of many crops. Elevated carbon dioxide concentration (eCO₂) can ameliorate, mitigate, or compensate for the negative impact of drought on plant growth and enable plants to remain turgid and functional for a longer period. In order to investigate the combined effects of eCO₂ and drought stress on photosynthetic performance and leaf structures, we analyzed photosynthetic characteristics and structure and ultrastructure of cucumber leaves. The decline in net photosynthetic rate under moderate drought stress occurred due to stomatal limitation alone, while under severe drought stress, it was the result of stomatal and nonstomatal limitations. Conversely, eCO₂ improved photosynthetic performance under moderate drought stress, increased the lengths of the palisade cells and the number of chloroplasts per palisade cell under severe drought stress, and significantly increased the grana thickness under moderate drought stress. Additionally, eCO₂ significantly decreased stomatal density, stomatal widths and stomatal aperture on the abaxial surface of leaves under moderate drought stress. In conclusion, eCO₂ can alleviate the negative effects of drought stress by improving the drought resistance of cucumber seedlings through stomatal modifications and leaf structure.