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Abstract Increasing genetic wheat yield potential is considered by many as critical to increasing global wheat yields and production, baring major changes in consumption patterns. Climate change challenges breeding by making target environments less predictable, altering regional productivity and potentially increasing yield variability. Here we used a crop simulation model solution in the SIMPLACE framework to explore yield sensitivity to select trait characteristics (radiation use efficiency [RUE], fruiting efficiency and light extinction coefficient) across 34 locations representing the world’s wheat-producing environments, determining their relationship to increasing yields, yield variability and cultivar performance. The magnitude of the yield increase was trait-dependent and differed between irrigated and rainfed environments. RUE had the most prominent marginal effect on yield, which increased by about 45 % and 33 % in irrigated and rainfed sites, respectively, between the minimum and maximum value of the trait. Altered values of light extinction coefficient had the least effect on yield levels. Higher yields from improved traits were generally associated with increased inter-annual yield variability (measured by standard deviation), but the relative yield variability (as coefficient of variation) remained largely unchanged between base and improved genotypes. This was true under both current and future climate scenarios. In this context, our study suggests higher wheat yields from these traits would not increase climate risk for farmers and the adoption of cultivars with these traits would not be associated with increased yield variability.

AbstractSmallholder farmers in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) currently grow rainfed maize with limited inputs including fertilizer. Climate change may exacerbate current production constraints. Crop models can help quantify the potential impact of climate change on maize yields, but a comprehensive multimodel assessment of simulation accuracy and uncertainty in these low‐input systems is currently lacking. We evaluated the impact of varying [CO2], temperature and rainfall conditions on maize yield, for different nitrogen (N) inputs (0, 80, 160 kg N/ha) for five environments in SSA, including cool subhumid Ethiopia, cool semi‐arid Rwanda, hot subhumid Ghana and hot semi‐arid Mali and Benin using an ensemble of 25 maize models. Models were calibrated with measured grain yield, plant biomass, plant N, leaf area index, harvest index and in‐season soil water content from 2‐year experiments in each country to assess their ability to simulate observed yield. Simulated responses to climate change factors were explored and compared between models. Calibrated models reproduced measured grain yield variations well with average relative root mean square error of 26%, although uncertainty in model prediction was substantial (CV = 28%). Model ensembles gave greater accuracy than any model taken at random. Nitrogen fertilization controlled the response to variations in [CO2], temperature and rainfall. Without N fertilizer input, maize (a) benefited less from an increase in atmospheric [CO2]; (b) was less affected by higher temperature or decreasing rainfall; and (c) was more affected by increased rainfall because N leaching was more critical. The model intercomparison revealed that simulation of daily soil N supply and N leaching plays a crucial role in simulating climate change impacts for low‐input systems. Climate change and N input interactions have strong implications for the design of robust adaptation approaches across SSA, because the impact of climate change in low input systems will be modified if farmers intensify maize production with balanced nutrient management.

Abstract Crop multi-model ensembles (MME) have proven to be effective in increasing the accuracy of simulations in modelling experiments. However, the ability of MME to capture crop responses to changes in sowing dates and densities has not yet been investigated. These management interventions are some of the main levers for adapting cropping systems to climate change. Here, we explore the performance of a MME of 29 wheat crop models to predict the effect of changing sowing dates and rates on yield and yield components, on two sites located in a high-yielding environment in New Zealand. The experiment was conducted for 6 years and provided 50 combinations of sowing date, sowing density and growing season. We show that the MME simulates seasonal growth of wheat well under standard sowing conditions, but fails under early sowing and high sowing rates. The comparison between observed and simulated in-season fraction of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (FIPAR) for early sown wheat shows that the MME does not capture the decrease of crop above ground biomass during winter months due to senescence. Models need to better account for tiller competition for light, nutrients, and water during vegetative growth, and early tiller senescence and tiller mortality, which are exacerbated by early sowing, high sowing densities, and warmer winter temperatures.

This study assesses the ability of 21 crop models to capture the impact of elevated CO2 concentration ([CO2]) on maize yield and water use as measured in a 2-year Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment experiment conducted at the Thunen Institute in Braunschweig, Germany (Manderscheid et al., 2014). Data for ambient [CO2] and irrigated treatments were provided to the 21 models for calibrating plant traits, including weather, soil and management data as well as yield, grain number, above ground biomass, leaf area index, nitrogen concentration in biomass and grain, water use and soil water content. Models differed in their representation of carbon assimilation and evapotranspiration processes. The models reproduced the absence of yield response to elevated [CO2] under well-watered conditions, as well as the impact of water deficit at ambient [CO2], with 50% of models within a range of +/−1 Mg ha−1 around the mean. The bias of the median of the 21 models was less than 1 Mg ha−1. However under water deficit in one of the two years, the models captured only 30% of the exceptionally high [CO2] enhancement on yield observed. Furthermore the ensemble of models was unable to simulate the very low soil water content at anthesis and the increase of soil water and grain number brought about by the elevated [CO2] under dry conditions. Overall, we found models with explicit stomatal control on transpiration tended to perform better. Our results highlight the need for model improvement with respect to simulating transpirational water use and its impact on water status during the kernel-set phase.

Pour réduire les risques du changement climatique, les gouvernements ont convenu dans l'Accord de Paris de limiter l'augmentation de la température mondiale à moins de 2,0 °C par rapport aux niveaux préindustriels, avec l'ambition de maintenir le réchauffement à 1,5 °C. La cartographie des réponses d'atténuation appropriées nécessite des informations sur les coûts d'atténuation par rapport aux dommages associés pour les deux niveaux de réchauffement. Dans cette évaluation, une considération critique est l'impact sur les rendements des cultures et la variabilité des rendements dans les régions actuellement confrontées à l'insécurité alimentaire. La présente étude a évalué les impacts de 1,5 °C par rapport à 2,0 °C sur les rendements du maïs, du millet perlé et du sorgho dans la savane soudanaise d'Afrique de l'Ouest en utilisant deux modèles de culture qui ont été calibrés avec des variétés communes issues d'expériences dans la région, la gestion reflétant une gamme de fenêtres de semis typiques. Comme l'intensification durable est encouragée dans la région pour améliorer la sécurité alimentaire, des simulations ont été menées à la fois pour l'utilisation actuelle d'engrais et pour un cas d'intensification (fertilité non limitative). Avec l'utilisation actuelle d'engrais, les résultats ont indiqué des pertes plus élevées de 2 % pour le maïs et le sorgho avec 2,0 °C par rapport au réchauffement de 1,5 °C, sans changement dans les rendements en mil pour aucun des scénarios. Dans le cas de l'intensification, les pertes de rendement dues au changement climatique étaient plus importantes qu'avec les niveaux actuels d'engrais. Cependant, malgré les pertes plus importantes, les rendements ont toujours été deux à trois fois plus élevés avec l'intensification, quel que soit le scénario de réchauffement. Bien que la variabilité du rendement ait augmenté avec l'intensification, il n'y avait aucune interaction avec le scénario de réchauffement. Une analyse des risques et du marché est nécessaire pour étendre ces résultats afin de comprendre les implications pour la sécurité alimentaire. Para reducir los riesgos del cambio climático, los gobiernos acordaron en el Acuerdo de París limitar el aumento de la temperatura global a menos de 2,0 °C por encima de los niveles preindustriales, con la ambición de mantener el calentamiento a 1,5 °C. El trazado de las respuestas de mitigación apropiadas requiere información sobre los costos de la mitigación frente a los daños asociados para los dos niveles de calentamiento. En esta evaluación, una consideración crítica es el impacto en los rendimientos de los cultivos y la variabilidad del rendimiento en las regiones actualmente desafiadas por la inseguridad alimentaria. El estudio actual evaluó los impactos de 1,5 °C frente a 2,0 °C en los rendimientos de maíz, mijo perla y sorgo en la sabana de Sudán de África Occidental utilizando dos modelos de cultivo que se calibraron con variedades comunes de experimentos en la región con un manejo que refleja una gama de ventanas de siembra típicas. A medida que se promueve la intensificación sostenible en la región para mejorar la seguridad alimentaria, se realizaron simulaciones tanto para el uso actual de fertilizantes como para un caso de intensificación (fertilidad no limitante). Con el uso actual de fertilizantes, los resultados indicaron pérdidas un 2% mayores para el maíz y el sorgo con 2,0 °C en comparación con el calentamiento de 1,5 °C, sin cambios en los rendimientos de mijo para ninguno de los dos escenarios. En el caso de la intensificación, las pérdidas de rendimiento debido al cambio climático fueron mayores que con los niveles actuales de fertilizantes. Sin embargo, a pesar de las mayores pérdidas, los rendimientos siempre fueron de dos a tres veces más altos con la intensificación, independientemente del escenario de calentamiento. Aunque la variabilidad del rendimiento aumentó con la intensificación, no hubo interacción con el escenario de calentamiento. Se necesitan análisis de riesgos y de mercado para ampliar estos resultados y comprender las implicaciones para la seguridad alimentaria. To reduce the risks of climate change, governments agreed in the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to less than 2.0 °C above pre-industrial levels, with the ambition to keep warming to 1.5 °C. Charting appropriate mitigation responses requires information on the costs of mitigating versus associated damages for the two levels of warming. In this assessment, a critical consideration is the impact on crop yields and yield variability in regions currently challenged by food insecurity. The current study assessed impacts of 1.5 °C versus 2.0 °C on yields of maize, pearl millet and sorghum in the West African Sudan Savanna using two crop models that were calibrated with common varieties from experiments in the region with management reflecting a range of typical sowing windows. As sustainable intensification is promoted in the region for improving food security, simulations were conducted for both current fertilizer use and for an intensification case (fertility not limiting). With current fertilizer use, results indicated 2% units higher losses for maize and sorghum with 2.0 °C compared to 1.5 °C warming, with no change in millet yields for either scenario. In the intensification case, yield losses due to climate change were larger than with current fertilizer levels. However, despite the larger losses, yields were always two to three times higher with intensification, irrespective of the warming scenario. Though yield variability increased with intensification, there was no interaction with warming scenario. Risk and market analysis are needed to extend these results to understand implications for food security. للحد من مخاطر تغير المناخ، اتفقت الحكومات في اتفاقية باريس على الحد من ارتفاع درجة الحرارة العالمية إلى أقل من 2.0 درجة مئوية فوق مستويات ما قبل الصناعة، مع طموح للحفاظ على ارتفاع درجة الحرارة إلى 1.5 درجة مئوية. يتطلب رسم استجابات التخفيف المناسبة معلومات عن تكاليف التخفيف مقابل الأضرار المرتبطة بمستويي الاحترار. في هذا التقييم، يتمثل أحد الاعتبارات الهامة في التأثير على غلة المحاصيل وتقلب الغلة في المناطق التي تواجه حاليًا انعدام الأمن الغذائي. قيمت الدراسة الحالية تأثيرات 1.5 درجة مئوية مقابل 2.0 درجة مئوية على غلة الذرة والدخن اللؤلؤي والذرة الرفيعة في سافانا غرب إفريقيا باستخدام نموذجين للمحاصيل تمت معايرتهما بأصناف شائعة من التجارب في المنطقة مع الإدارة التي تعكس مجموعة من نوافذ البذر النموذجية. ومع تعزيز التكثيف المستدام في المنطقة لتحسين الأمن الغذائي، أجريت عمليات محاكاة لكل من الاستخدام الحالي للأسمدة وحالة التكثيف (الخصوبة غير محدودة). مع استخدام الأسمدة الحالي، أشارت النتائج إلى خسائر أعلى بنسبة 2 ٪ للذرة والذرة الرفيعة مع 2.0 درجة مئوية مقارنة بالاحترار 1.5 درجة مئوية، مع عدم وجود تغيير في غلة الدخن لأي من السيناريوهين. في حالة التكثيف، كانت خسائر الغلة بسبب تغير المناخ أكبر من مستويات الأسمدة الحالية. ومع ذلك، على الرغم من الخسائر الأكبر، كانت الغلة دائمًا أعلى مرتين إلى ثلاث مرات مع التكثيف، بغض النظر عن سيناريو الاحترار. على الرغم من زيادة تقلب المحصول مع التكثيف، لم يكن هناك تفاعل مع سيناريو الاحترار. هناك حاجة إلى تحليل المخاطر والسوق لتوسيع نطاق هذه النتائج لفهم الآثار المترتبة على الأمن الغذائي.

AbstractWheat grain protein concentration is an important determinant of wheat quality for human nutrition that is often overlooked in efforts to improve crop production. We tested and applied a 32‐multi‐model ensemble to simulate global wheat yield and quality in a changing climate. Potential benefits of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration by 2050 on global wheat grain and protein yield are likely to be negated by impacts from rising temperature and changes in rainfall, but with considerable disparities between regions. Grain and protein yields are expected to be lower and more variable in most low‐rainfall regions, with nitrogen availability limiting growth stimulus from elevated CO2. Introducing genotypes adapted to warmer temperatures (and also considering changes in CO2 and rainfall) could boost global wheat yield by 7% and protein yield by 2%, but grain protein concentration would be reduced by −1.1 percentage points, representing a relative change of −8.6%. Climate change adaptations that benefit grain yield are not always positive for grain quality, putting additional pressure on global wheat production.