Plant sciences’ role in addressing climate change

The challenge of feeding, clothing, and fuelling the world will be exacerbated as a result of climate change and the increasing prevalence of extreme growing conditions.  Within the coming decade, farmers will face greater pressure to produce enough for a growing population despite drought, excessive temperatures, and non-optimal soils such as salty and toxic solids.  

The plant science industry is making a positive contribution to helping farmers meet these challenges through the development of new technologies and practices to allow efficient and sustainable faming. Researchers worldwide are developing drought-resistant crops that allow plants to survive with less water, or recover and re-grow after dry conditions. Work is being done to develop biotech crops that can handle the stress of high temperatures; and salt-tolerant crops that can grow in saline soils that were traditionally viewed as unproductive. Most importantly, all these areas of research are working to develop biotech crops that can not only survive in extreme climates but can continue to produce high yields.  

Protecting harvests is another important factor in increased productivity. It is estimated that pre- and post-harvest crop loss due to pests would double without crop protection products. Already, 20-40 percent of the world’s potential crop production is lost annually to weeds, pests, and diseases – stresses that are likely to increase along with climate change. Modern synthetic pesticides, when used responsibly as part of an integrated pest management system, have been and will remain the major tool for combating pests in the foreseeable future