Heatwaves could threaten food crops, study warns

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http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/20/heatwaves-threaten-food-crops-study

Future heatwaves could threaten key global food crops if climate change is not addressed, according to a British study.

Researchers came to the conclusion after estimating the effects of extreme temperatures and raised carbon dioxide levels on maize, wheat and soybean production.
While more C02 in the atmosphere may boost plant growth, this effect is likely to be counteracted by extreme heat, they warn.

Crops are especially vulnerable to heat around anthesis, the flowering period of the plant.

“At this stage, extreme temperatures can lead to reduced pollen sterility and reduced seed set, greatly reducing the crop yield,” said lead scientist Delphine Deryng, from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia.