key: cord-0043956-370lb7xq
authors: Edwards, David; Naithani, Sushma
title: Current biology special issue: AGRI2019()()
date: 2020-05-03
journal: Curr Plant Biol
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpb.2020.100155
sha: cf2591210f58fc95086de3651721c6e4b20a3d0d
doc_id: 43956
cord_uid: 370lb7xq

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The growing human population is increasingly impacting the planet in multiple ways and the change in climate caused by the release of carbon through the burning of fossil fuels is now undeniable. While there is an increasing push to reduce carbon emissions in some countries, with some even aiming to become carbon neutral, there remain other nations where the exploitation of coal, oil and gas reserves for short term economic or political gain takes precedence over the long term security of human life on this planet. Climate change is already impacting human populations, with more frequent and more violent storms as well as each year breaking new temperature records. Agricultural production has always been impacted by climate, and climate extremes have historically been associated with famine, death as well as widespread social and political upheaval. While the climate continues to head in a dangerous direction with unprecedented speed, urgent action is required to both maintain global food security as well as limit the impact of our food production on the environment. Towards this endeavour, we established the first conference on Agriculture and Climate Change, held in Amsterdam in 2015, which brought together relevant experts from around the globe to present and discuss their work, in areas from assessing the impact of climate change on agriculture through to the development of advanced climate resilient crops. A second conference on Agriculture and Climate Change was held in Sitges, Spain in 2017, and the third conference was held in Budapest in 2019. The conference has expanded, including a broader range of topics reflecting the interests of the attendees. The third conference covered eleven themes, with each session starting with a leading keynote speaker who provided an introduction and overview to the areas as well as presenting the latest updates of their research, while the plenary speaker opened the conference with an outstanding presentation of the challenges we face in maintaining food security in a changing climate. In addition, attendees presented posters covering each of the themes.

The authors of select abstracts were invited to contribute their work to two special editions, one in Current Opinion in Plant Biology to be published later this year, and this special edition of Current Plant Biology [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] . Accepted papers cover a range of topics, from the use of compost, extracts and organic fertiliser to improve plant productivity and support disease suppression, though to the impact of a range of climate change associated stress factors on crops. Research on diverse species is represented, including soybean, buckwheat, grapevine, jatropha and eucalypts. Importantly, as well as examining the impact of climate change on crops, papers cover how these impacts can be minimalised, through adapting crops to novel environments as well as advancing methods for the breeding and improvement of legume species. It needs to be acknowledged that not all climate change is bad for agriculture, at least in the short term, with increased temperatures opening up the higher latitudes for crop production, while increases in CO2, an essential plant nutrient can accelerate plant growth.

It is clear that climate change will continue to impact agricultural production, and being able to accurately predict these changes, mitigate the negative impacts while exploiting the benefits is essential to maintain food security in the long term. During our current time in early 2020 where the world is suffering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that governments and populations can respond positively to a major global crisis, to accept negative social and economic changes to minimise casualties. While COVID19 is hopefully a short term crisis, we need to be aware that not all global emergencies emerge so suddenly, or can be addressed so rapidly. The increasing release of CO2 into the atmosphere over the last 100+ years will have long term and potentially disastrous consequences, and unless action is taken now to reduce the causes of climate change, humanity will have a greater challenge for survival than posed by even the most virulent of pathogens.

Edival Angelo Valverde Zauza, Wood anatomy of field grown eucalypt genotypes exhibiting differential dieback and water deficit tolerance

Growth and development of Stevia rebaudianaBert., in high and low levels of radiation

An integrated research framework combining genomics, systems biology, physiology, modelling and breeding for legume improvement in response to elevated CO 2 under climate change scenario

Physiology of soybean as affected by PEGinduced drought stress

Soil amendment by composted plant wastes reduces the Verticillium dahliae abundance and changes soil chemical properties in a bell pepper cropping system

☆ This article is part of a special issue entitled AGRI2019

☆☆ This issue of Current Plant Biology is focused on Agriculture and Climate Change (AGRI2019) conference held in Budapest in 2019

Effect of olive vegetation water and compost extracts on seed germination of four weed species

Time-dependent stomatal conductance and growth responses of Tabernaemontana divaricatato short-term elevated CO 2 and water stress at higher than optimal growing temperature

Leaf anatomical responses and chemical composition of warm-season turfgrasses to increasing salinity

Gordon research conference 2019: from the biophysics of natural and artificial photosynthesis to bioenergy conversion