Unusual and extreme weather phenomena appear with increasing frequency. Farmers everywhere are now more insecure and anxious before the whims of God. Climate change is the most commonly named “crime.” “God” has changed, and is agriculture still standing?

Many solutions, big and small, have been found through the efforts of agricultural scientists – important companions of farmers around the world. Thanks to them, agriculture is becoming smarter and more creative, partly adapting and reducing the negative impact of climate change on the crop.

Sun-tolerant rice harvested after 100 days

When it comes to hot weather, India is an indispensable country in any list. There are areas in this South Asian country that record a record hot temperature and last continuously from March to June, with temperatures up to 47 degrees Celsius.

Among the most affected are major agricultural regions such as the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This year, the crop damage in these wheat-producing regions of India is very serious and the production decreased by about 50% because of the intense heat in March. That is why the Government of India had to issue an order last month enforcing an export ban to ensure domestic food security.

Together with farmers, this year, scientists at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) announced the achievement of a new wheat variety “Pusa Ahilya” (or HI 1634). capable of “accepting” extreme heat and yielding more than 7 tons/ha.

According to the description of the scientists, this wheat variety has the characteristics of adapting to the climate of the geographical belt running from the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat in the west, through the state of Madhya Pradesh. and to parts of the state of Uttar Pradesh. They also say farmers can safely plant heat-tolerant wheat varieties even if the sowing time is later than usual.

After three years of testing, this particular rice variety is ready to be planted in the next crop in the states mentioned above. Pusa Ahilya wheat can be planted later, in the period from December to January, and harvested after 100 days, i.e., around March. Normally, the wheat crop in India starts to sow earlier, around October, November and it is harvested from March to April.

“The HI 1634 or Pusa Ahilya rice variety is intended for late growing conditions, meaning for farmers who want to grow wheat after planting potatoes and other crops, in December or January -Ms. Divya Ambati , a researcher at the ICAR Oilseed Research Institute in the State of Madhya Pradesh and a member of the research team that developed the HI 1634 wheat variety, told The Print : “This is a wheat variety that is very useful in making chapatis (a type of flatbread that is a traditional Indian food], biscuits and bread).”

According to scientist S. V. Sai Prasad at the Indian Rice Research Institute of ICAR, who is also the lead researcher of the Pusa Ahilya wheat variety, this variety has both good sun tolerance and high yield. It must also be added that wheat is a particularly sensitive variety during the growing period. If subjected to a temperature higher than the average 23 degrees Celsius, it shrinks easily, leading to a decrease in yield.

Application of nuclear technology

In November 2021, within the framework of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26), there was a remarkable sideline workshop of international experts.

Here, the delegates discussed in depth about the solutions and potential applications of nuclear science and technology to help countries and communities adapt and response to the effects of climate change. That is a very remarkable part of the application in the field of agriculture.

“With the power of the atom, we have the tools to increase sustainability in the face of climate change,” said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the event. event after sharing an IAEA report on how nuclear techniques can help the world respond to climate change and increasingly extreme weather events.

Thanks to the support of the IAEA, many countries have been able to use irradiation techniques to create new varieties of plants-those that are resistant to disease and also to extreme weather conditions-during propagation, via mutation.

According to IAEA data, more than 3,200 plant varieties created by this method have been officially put into cultivation in more than 70 countries. One of the “success stories” presented at COP26 was that of Zimbabwe.

“We have had effective programs to modernize and optimize plant breeding,” said Prince Matova, PhD in  rice research at the Institute of Rice Breeding and Breeding at the Ministry of Agriculture of Zimbabwe.

In November 2017, Mr. Matova’s institute announced the first cowpea variety developed in Zimbabwe in cooperation with the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “All the new cultivars are tolerant of drought, heat and poor soil in the very arid regions of Zimbabwe,” he said.

 Zimbabwean farmers have increased production by 10-20%. Not only that, thanks to its better drought tolerance and insect resistance, farmers are more secure with the crop against the effects of climate change, especially in drought-prone areas.

Cowpeas are also a natural source of protein, zinc, iron and other vitamins, making them an important contributor to the food supply in this African nation of 15 million people.

“Climate change, droughts, devastating insects and diseases, degraded soil … make it very difficult for us the poor. We used to grow mainly corn, but now we have added cowpeas. to the food pantry”, the IAEA website quotes Tafirenyika Gumbomunda, a Zimbabwean farmer. “We are fighting climate change with advanced technology that helps create drought-resistant beans.”

In the arid regions of Zimbabwe and many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where the average annual rainfall is only about 250-300mm, it is encouraging that the newly developed cowpea variety can grow and yield well in these regions under extremely harsh conditions.

Not only that, nuclear techniques such as food irradiation being tried on fresh fruits and vegetables are improving food safety, preventing cross-border encroachment of insects and reduce food poisoning caused by bacteria.

Also to be mentioned is the popularity of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT- i.e., the control of harmful insects by ionizing irradiation to sterilize them, without harming beneficial insects and environment.

In Vietnam, this technique has been applied in Binh Thuan in a pilot project since 2016 to kill fruit flies and protect dragon fruit gardens and by 2019, has recorded practical effects.

 

Source: Cuoituan.tuoitre.vn