In Yanqing, China, researchers found that higher temperatures significantly reduce potato yields, posing a threat to food security. They study heat-tolerant varieties to help farmers adapt to climate change.
In a Beijing research facility, molecular biologist Li Jieping and his team gathered a cluster of small potatoes, with one resembling a quail’s egg. These potatoes, grown in simulated high temperatures typical of the end of the century, indicate troubling future challenges for food security. At just 136 grams, they weigh less than half of an average potato in China, a nation where potato yield is vital for global food supply.
Li, leading a three-year study on potato resilience to climate change, notes how rising temperatures are set to diminish yields and worsen food security. The research revealed that higher temperatures accelerated tuber growth by ten days yet cut yields by over half, prompting Li to voice concerns regarding farmers’ potential harvest difficulties.
As extreme weather events increasingly impact farmers, many are adopting innovative growing methods, like aeroponics, to cope with challenges such as late blight. With the need for higher-yielding, disease-resistant varieties, farmers are urged to adapt their practices, such as shifting planting seasons or relocating to higher altitudes, to prepare for an uncertain climate future.
