Early vigour in wheat is a trait that has received attention for its benefits reducing evaporation from the soil surface early in the season. However, with the growth enhancement common to crops grown under elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations (e[CO 2 ]), there is a risk that too much early growth might deplete soil water and lead to more severe terminal drought stress in environments where production relies on stored soil...

The response of wheat crops to elevated CO 2 ( eCO 2 ) was measured and modelled with the Australian Grains Free‐Air CO 2 Enrichment experiment, located at Horsham, Australia. Treatments included CO 2 by water, N and temperature. The location represents a semi‐arid environment with a seasonal VPD of around 0.5 kP a. Over 3 years, the observed mean biomass at anthesis and grain yield ranged from 4200 to 10 200 kg ha −1 and 1600...