Developments in Management of Abiotic Stresses in Dryland Agriculture

Abiotic stress is one of the important consequences of climate change that will have a telling effect on crop growth and productivity in the near future. The impact of abiotic stress on crop production has emerged as a major research priority during the past decade. Several forecasts for the coming decades project increase in atmospheric CO2 and temperature and changes in precipitation, resulting in more frequent droughts and floods, cold and heat waves and other extreme events. The key aspect of sustainable development in agriculture involves resource conservation-based strategies, cropping system-based strategies and exploitation of genetic resources. Soil degradation should be prevented by practices and techniques, such as no-till sowing of crops, drip irrigation, crop rotation and leaving land fallow. Suitable farming systems that have potential to increase food production and promote soil conservation for each agroecological zones should be identified. Holistic land management and soil health restoration are also one of the key aspects of suitable development towards managing food security. In addition, maintenance of soil life and soil quality through practices such as organic fertilizer supplementation and judicious use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides should be a priority. Judicious management of water on a watershed basis should be undertaken to make maximum use of available water. Biotechnological improvement of crops and evolution of crop varieties suitable for climate change also form the key for sustainable development. Tapping of genetic resources to identify varieties and new crops that can adapt and cope with climate risk also forms a key approach in sustainable development to tackle the problem of food security. Adaptation to climate change requires long-term investments in strategic research and new policy initiatives that put climate change adaptation in planning. A comprehensive understanding of abiotic stress, especially the mechanism and tolerance aspects for adaptation strategies, across the full range of warming scenarios and regions is essential for preparing for climate change. Therefore, a judicious mixture of basic and applied research outlooks has been presented on developments in management of abiotic stresses in dryland agriculture.