Water availability moderates N₂ fixation benefit from elevated [CO₂]: A 2‐year free‐air CO₂ enrichment study on lentil (<i>Lens culinaris</i> MEDIK.) in a water limited agroecosystem

Abstract Increased biomass and yield of plants grown under elevated [CO 2 ] often corresponds to decreased grain N concentration ([N]), diminishing nutritional quality of crops. Legumes through their symbiotic N 2 fixation may be better able to maintain biomass [N] and grain [N] under elevated [CO 2 ], provided N 2 fixation is stimulated by elevated [CO 2 ] in line with growth and yield. In Mediterranean‐type agroecosystems, N 2 fixation may be impaired by drought, and it is unclear whether elevated [CO 2 ] stimulation of N 2 fixation can overcome this impact in dry years. To address this question, we grew lentil under two [CO 2 ] (ambient ~400 ppm and elevated ~550 ppm) levels in a…