Climate-Resilient Crops: The Future of Farming Amid Rising Temperatures

In 2023, a new apple variety named Tutti made its debut at a Berlin trade show, showcasing not only its crisp, juicy texture and appealing blush but also its remarkable heat tolerance. Developed to thrive at temperatures up to 40°C (104°F), the Tutti apple represents a significant milestone in agricultural innovation.

This breakthrough is the result of the Hot Climate Partnership, a collaboration between researchers and industry groups from Spain and New Zealand. Formed in 2002, the partnership sought to address the challenges posed by increasingly hot summers in Catalonia, which had left apples sunburned and mushy. After two decades of crossbreeding efforts, the Tutti, initially known as HOT84A1, was successfully developed.

The Tutti apple is now cultivated in various countries, including the United States, Chile, and China. It is part of a growing trend where researchers are working to create crops that can withstand the effects of climate change. The approaches used range from traditional crossbreeding and reviving Indigenous plants to modern techniques such as gene editing.

Joan Bonany, a pomologist involved in the Hot Climate Partnership, acknowledges the challenges of this endeavor. He notes that what was considered hot 20 years ago is now the norm, making it difficult to anticipate future conditions. This evolving climate situation means that even recent innovations like the Tutti apple might soon face obsolescence.

The rise in global temperatures is known to negatively impact crop yields. For instance, each degree Celsius increase can reduce rice and wheat yields by 10% and 6.4%, respectively. Such losses are critical, given that these staples are essential to global food security. Additionally, heat stress can manifest in various ways in garden plants, including drooping, slower growth, and poor fruit development due to damaged pollen.

As temperatures continue to climb, the proteins responsible for essential plant functions, such as photosynthesis and nutrient transport, can become damaged. Plants attempt to repair this damage with heat shock proteins, but as temperatures exceed 50°C (122°F), the strain on plants increases, requiring them to expend more energy to survive.

Selective breeding, a traditional method of developing new plant varieties, remains prevalent. This process involves crossing plants with desirable traits and selecting the most robust progeny over generations. However, modern advancements in genome-assisted breeding are speeding up this process. Scientists now use tools to analyze entire genetic codes, identifying which genes contribute to heat tolerance and other traits.

Gene-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 have also revolutionized plant breeding. These tools allow scientists to make precise modifications to plant DNA, leading to the development of climate-resilient crops such as strawberries, tomatoes, and potatoes.

As climate change continues to impact agriculture, the development of heat-tolerant crops becomes increasingly crucial. The Tutti apple and other innovations represent a significant step forward in ensuring food security in a warming world. However, ongoing research and technological advancements will be essential to keep pace with the changing climate and its effects on global agriculture.