Heat and drought have a significant influence on food security and agricultural production, according to a new review. Led by Dr.Aqarab Husnain Gondal of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad in Pakistan, the review draws attention to the physical damages, biological disruptions, biochemical abnormalities, sub-optimal water supplies, and unusual temperatures that all contribute to crop development and yield loss. Let’s take a closer look at how heat and drought can impact our food sources.
Drought is one of the most threatening abiotic stresses on crops. It affects not only their growth but also their yield potential. When there is a lack of adequate moisture in soil or air for plant growth, it can lead to dehydration in plants which affects their water absorption capacity as well as photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate. This can eventually lead to reduced yields due to gradual wilting or complete death of the crop. Additionally, dry soils are more prone to erosion which can cause further losses.
In addition to drought, high temperatures also play an important role in influencing crop development and yields. High temperatures increase respiration rates in plants resulting in higher energy consumption by the plant leading to reduced biomass production. Furthermore, high temperatures also increase evaporation rates leading to increased water stress which further reduces crop yields. Moreover, when the temperature exceeds certain thresholds it can cause plant death due to extreme heat shock or other environmental conditions such as direct sunlight exposure or lack of water supply.
Climate change has made droughts even more severe in many areas around the world thus increasing their impacts on crop growth and yields even further. Not only does climate change make existing abiotic stresses worse but it also introduces new ones such as increased salinity levels due to rising sea levels which affects soil quality leading to reduced crop yields even further down the line. As such, it is essential that we address climate change now before it causes even greater issues with respect to food security than we already have seen so far today.
This research provides us with valuable insight into how heat and drought affect our ability to produce food on a large scale through agriculture production methods that are employed across much of the world today. By understanding these effects better we will be able better prepare ourselves for periods of low rainfall or unusually high temperatures which may become increasingly common due to climate change over time. It is essential that we work together towards mitigating these effects if we want secure access to adequate amounts of food for everyone around the world now and into the future.
