Rice May Prove Most Resilient Crop in Warming World - Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
A new study has found that rice will have the lowest yield reductions globally compared to other crops due to global warming. Rising incomes and farmer adaptation will contribute to rice's resilience to climate change.
Global warming worldwide is already affecting agricultural yields, as one crop may be better suited to new conditions than others. A new study has shown that a decrease in global crop yields will affect rice the least, writes UNN with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
A new study examining the future production of six major crops, including wheat, soybeans, and sorghum, has shown that rice will experience the smallest decrease in yield globally. The results present a worrying picture of how climate change could affect the global food system, and also predict that farmers may take measures to compensate for some losses.
Rice is more adaptable, so it is more protected. It's a combination of the crop's characteristics, and then actions that farmers can take to take advantage of that
Extreme heat, in particular, can negatively impact cereal yields, especially during high daytime temperatures.
Nights will also become warmer, which is likely to negatively affect crops like corn. But it is also projected to create conditions under which some rice varieties will grow better than other grains. Especially in the very humid climates of South and Southeast Asia, where it is usually grown.
Although some other studies have shown that hotter nights can reduce rice yields, the effect depends on the variety and how humid or dry the local conditions are.
In really humid conditions, higher minimum temperatures are beneficial, especially if it's very humid, and you're in a relatively higher part of the global income distribution
The study also predicts that rising incomes in Asia will allow farmers to adapt. In particular, by switching to more productive rice varieties, which is another key factor in the crop's apparent advantage.
Rice yields worldwide are still projected to decrease, but only by about 1% under a moderate emissions scenario by the end of the century, compared to yield decreases ranging from 6% for sorghum to 14% for wheat and 22% for soybeans.
Additions
A new NASA study confirms that the intensity of floods, droughts, and other extreme events has significantly increased over the past 5 years due to climate change. Water supply companies are not ready for the changes.
Sleep-disordered breathing may become even more common. Researchers have found that rising night-time temperatures due to the climate crisis can significantly worsen obstructive sleep apnea. This threatens millions of people worldwide with deteriorating health, increased mortality, and billions in economic losses.