Wheat Responses to Climate Change and Its Adaptations: A Focus on Arid and Semi-arid Environment

Abstract

The vulnerability of wheat to climate change is accelerating at an increasing rate. This paper reviews the climate change trends, climate change impacts, quantification methods and adaption options in the arid and semi-arid environment. The temperature of mid-latitude of Asia may increase 2.4 °C during the wheat season. Different studies reported the reduction of yield in future climate by 10–50% with current production technologies and varieties. Mechanistic crop models, statistical models, arithmetic models and field experiments have been used in different environments to quantify the climate change impacts and develop adaptations. Wheat is predominantly cultivated in arid and semi-arid environments of South Asia under irrigated and rain-fed conditions. The arid environment makes wheat more vulnerable to climate change as compared to semi-arid due to low moisture availability. In future, different strategies can be adapted to the production system to offset the climate change impacts on wheat. Agronomic and breeding adaptations potentially can neutralize or even enhance wheat grain yield in future climatic scenarios.