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Novel crop science to improve yield and resource use efficiency in water-limited agriculture

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>2011
<mark>Journal</mark>Journal of Agricultural Science
Volume149
Number of pages9
Pages (from-to)123-131
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Globally, agriculture accounts for 0.80-0.90 of all freshwater used by humans and, in many crop production systems, this water use is unsustainable. The current paper focuses on the potential exploitation of novel drought stress biology in both crop improvement programmes and via changed crop management practices. The aim is to deliver 'more crop per drop'. In order to respond to the challenge of feeding a world population of seven billion and growing, it is concluded that an interdisciplinary approach is needed involving new genetic opportunities and plant breeding. It is also shown how crop management can exploit the drought stress physiology of plants to deliver improved water productivity without sacrificing crop yield.