Improving crop yields in a world of extreme weather events

[knocker]

UC Riverside-led team develops new chemical for improving drought tolerance

 

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Farmers in the United States witnessed record-breaking extremes in temperature and drought during the last two summers, causing worldwide increases in the costs of food, feed and fiber. Indeed, many climate scientists caution that extreme weather events resulting from climate change is the new normal for farmers in North America and elsewhere, requiring novel agricultural strategies to prevent crop losses.

 

Now a research team led by Sean Cutler, a plant cell biologist at the University of California, Riverside, has found a new drought-protecting chemical that shows high potential for becoming a powerful tool for crop protection in the new world of extreme weather.

 

Named "quinabactin" by the researchers, the chemical mimics a naturally occurring stress hormone in plants that helps the plants cope with drought conditions.

 

Study results appear online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/uoc--icy062713.php

Edited July 4, 2013 by knocker

[nitro_deluxe]

Who actually says or indicates or even decides it is 'extreme' ?

Just a thought..

[knocker]

Who actually says or indicates or even decides it is 'extreme' ?Just a thought..

 

Well there are a number of papers on the subject some that have been posted on here.

 

I assume you are not agreeing with this. I'd be interested why.

 

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Farmers in the United States witnessed record-breaking extremes in temperature and drought during the last two summers, causing worldwide increases in the costs of food, feed and fiber.

 

Edited July 4, 2013 by knocker

[Gray-Wolf]

For a plant I would suspect 'Extreme' is where you begin to suffer under the prevalent conditions? Looking around my Garden today i can see that some of the plants will 'suffer' and , should i not give them a hand, will quickly die?