January 20, 2015

Scientific findings published in the journal Nature Climate Change are proving that wheat is particularly susceptible to being negatively affected by rising temperatures. Global field tests conducted by an international consortium of scientists found that an increase in temperature of as little as one degree can cut global wheat yields by 6%, or the equivalent of 42 million tons, or a quarter of the global wheat trade. Such losses would cause significant supply shortages and price increases that have previously caused civil unrest in developing countries. Because of the variability in supply from year to year, scientists tested 30 different wheat crop models across growing seasons where mean temperatures varied between 15 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius. Current projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change state that global temperatures will likely increase by 5 degrees Celsius within this century, which would prove catastrophic for wheat production. The report, conducted by scientists from Finland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, Colombia, Mexico, India, China, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. states that it is  important for the industry to adapt by adopting and cultivating heat-resistant varieties to keep future yearly output as stable as possible.

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