Impact of Climate Change on Fruit Crops- A Review

Abstract

Climate change is becoming an observed reality. Several researchers around the world have been working for decades to model predicted climatic changes that will occur in the 21st century and forecast the potential impact on the global eco-system. Climate plays a major role in deciding perennial fruit crop’s distribution, phenology, fruit quality, and disease and pest incidents. Physiological and yield attributes of fruits are sensitive to changing global climate as the climatic factors such as temperature rainfall etc. has direct co-relation with the regulatory physiological events of fruit trees. Despite increasing atmospheric CO2, which is needed for plant photosynthetic activity, the future of food production remains uncertain due to global warming and abnormal precipitation. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of information on the practical effects of pests and diseases in a climate change, which may have an effect on food availability in future. Studies suggested not only productivity but also quality of fruits will be impaired under the variable growing climates year to year. Plant diversity loss and area suitability issues would lead to more problems. In the face of such challenges to world fruit production, a plan-based strategic scientific evaluation of such effects, as well as adaptation and mitigation strategies, should be quantified. This review article briefly discusses effect of climate change on various fruit crops as well as approaches to mitigate with these future challenges.