Climate Change and Weather Extremes’ Impacts on Crops

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 4064

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Texcoco 56237, Mexico
Interests: climate change and agriculture, development of agricultural system modeling tools, evaluation of climate-smart agriculture, and Genotype by Environment Interaction analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In an era marked by the ever-pressing challenge of climate change, the world's cropping systems find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. The interplay between climate change and agriculture has emerged as a central concern, shaping the future of food production. It is within this context that we introduce this Special Issue, dedicated to exploring the multifaceted impact of climate change on crops.

This collection of papers represents a comprehensive examination of the diverse and intricate facets of this critical issue. From the macro- to the microscale, we delve into the effects of changing climate patterns and extreme weather events on crop yields, geographical distributions, and suitability. 
Furthermore, this Special Issue ventures into the realm of adaptation, focusing on the ingenuity of both automated and human approaches to crop management in a climate-altered world. We highlight the innovative strategies that farmers and researchers are employing to mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture.

In particular, we emphasize the implications of these findings for crop breeding and agronomic practices. Crop resilience and adaptability are paramount in ensuring a sustainable and food-secure future. Through the lens of this Special Issue, we aim to foster a dialogue among scientists, practitioners, and policymakers, driving forward the knowledge and solutions needed to confront the complex challenges posed by climate change to our crops.

Dr. Xiong Wei
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • climate change
  • crops
  • crop breeding

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7603 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Study of the Effects of Environment, Variety, and Fertilisation on Yield and Stability of Spring Barley Grain
by Lukáš Hlisnikovský, Veronika Zemanová, Muhammad Roman, Ladislav Menšík and Eva Kunzová
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2745; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192745 - 30 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1077
Abstract
The stability and yield of barley grain are affected by several factors, such as climatic conditions, fertilisation, and the different barley varieties. In a long-term experiment in Prague, Czech Republic, established in 1955, we analysed the weather trends and how weather, fertilisation (10 [...] Read more.
The stability and yield of barley grain are affected by several factors, such as climatic conditions, fertilisation, and the different barley varieties. In a long-term experiment in Prague, Czech Republic, established in 1955, we analysed the weather trends and how weather, fertilisation (10 treatments in total), and different barley varieties affected grain yield and stability. A total of 44 seasons were evaluated. Trends in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures from 1953 to 2023, as well as sunshine duration from 1961 to 2022, showed statistically significant increases. The trend for annual precipitation from 1953 to 2023 was not significant, but changes in precipitation were recorded via seasonal precipitation concentration indexes. The unfertilised Control and farmyard manure (FYM) provided the lowest mean yields. Mineral fertilisers (NPK) and FYM+NPK increased grain yield, ranging from 4.9 t ha−1 to 5.5 t ha−1. Three notable correlations between weather conditions and yields were observed: (1) June precipitation (r = 0.4), (2) minimal temperature in July (r = 0.3), and (3) sunshine duration in May (r = −0.5). According to the linear–plateau response model, the reasonable N dose is 55 kg ha−1, resulting in a mean yield of 6.7 t ha−1 for the contemporarily used barley variety Sebastián. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Weather Extremes’ Impacts on Crops)
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Review

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26 pages, 2977 KiB  
Review
Weather Extremes Shock Maize Production: Current Approaches and Future Research Directions in Africa
by Shaolong Du and Wei Xiong
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1585; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121585 - 7 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2487
Abstract
Extreme weather events have led to widespread yield losses and significant global economic damage in recent decades. African agriculture is particularly vulnerable due to its harsh environments and limited adaptation capacity. This systematic review analyzes 96 articles from Web of Science, Science Direct, [...] Read more.
Extreme weather events have led to widespread yield losses and significant global economic damage in recent decades. African agriculture is particularly vulnerable due to its harsh environments and limited adaptation capacity. This systematic review analyzes 96 articles from Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, focusing on biophysical studies related to maize in Africa and worldwide. We investigated the observed and projected extreme weather events in Africa, their impacts on maize production, and the approaches used to assess these effects. Our analysis reveals that drought, heatwaves, and floods are major threats to African maize production, impacting yields, suitable cultivation areas, and farmers’ livelihoods. While studies have employed various methods, including field experiments, statistical models, and process-based modeling, African research is often limited by data gaps and technological constraints. We identify three main gaps: (i) lack of reliable long-term experimental and empirical data, (ii) limited access to advanced climate change adaptation technologies, and (iii) insufficient knowledge about specific extreme weather patterns and their interactions with management regimes. This review highlights the urgent need for targeted research in Africa to improve understanding of extreme weather impacts and formulate effective adaptation strategies. We advocate for focused research on data collection, technology transfer, and integration of local knowledge with new technologies to bolster maize resilience and food security in Africa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Weather Extremes’ Impacts on Crops)
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