Climate-resilient wheat

Code:

RG-T4650

Initiative:

Extraordinary Call

FONTAGRO Amount:

USD 200.000

Counterpart Amount:

USD 402.051

Execution time

48 Months

Total Amount:

USD 602.051

Participating countries:

Spain

Argentina

Uruguay

United States

Funding source:

FONTAGRO Amount 33% Other agencies 0% Counterpart Amount 67%

Executive Summary

Globally, the advance of climate change poses one of the greatest challenges for agriculture and society in the coming decades, even more in countries such as Argentina and Uruguay, where wheat production supplies global demand and is critical for both food security and local economies. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, such as droughts and heatwaves, require crop adaptation strategies to improve the resilience of production systems. It is unknown how these trends might affect the crop cycle and the degree of penalties they may induce in the medium-to-long term on yield if adaptation strategies are not adopted. In this context, the study of physiological mechanisms that confer resilience to wheat would be beneficial for the identification of attributes that could be implemented in breeding programs. This project focuses on increasing the resilience of wheat in Latin America to the effects of drought and heat stress resulting from climate change.

To achieve this goal, the following specific objectives are proposed.

First, we aim to quantify the potential effects of drought and heat stress events on wheat yield in the producing areas of Argentina and Uruguay under different possible scenarios and management strategies.
Second, we aim to characterize attributes and physiological mechanisms responsible for the response to heat stress and drought in commercial wheat varieties, with the goal of identifying more resilient varieties and progenitors for genetic improvement programs.
Third, the development of dissemination and extension activities is proposed, along with workshops for farmers, researchers, and seed companies in the region.

It is anticipated that the project will directly benefit 2,500 farmers and agronomist in Argentina and Uruguay, as well as contribute to the training of two doctoral students and one undergraduate student who will work in groups at the University of Lleida (Spain), INIA-La Estanzuela (Uruguay), and UNR (Argentina).

The technological solution

This project aims to improve wheat resilience in Latin America against drought and heat stress derived from climate change. It will quantify the impact of these factors on wheat yields in Argentina and Uruguay, identify traits in current varieties that help counter these stresses, and share practices and findings with farmers and experts. The project will help reduce potential economic losses in the sector through more resilient production systems, enhancing the use of water and fertilizers while limiting environmental impact. These contributions will support more sustainable agriculture with potential for application in other Latin American regions.

Results

The aim is to characterize past and future trends, as well as the potential effects of drought events and heat stress on wheat yield in the study region. Experimentally, physiological attributes and mechanisms responsible for the response to heat stress and drought will be characterized in modern wheat germplasm. Finally, knowledge management and communication of the project's results will be carried out from the beginning of the project.

Beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries of this technical cooperation will encompass approximately 2,500 producers and producer advisors across Argentina and Uruguay. The involvement of AAPRESID (No-Till Argentine Association; 1,800 members), AACREA (Argentine Association of Regional Consortia for Agricultural Experimentation; 2,163 members), AFA (Federated Argentine Farmers; 36,000 producer members), FUCREA (Uruguayan Federation of CREA Groups; 600 members), and AUSID (No-Till Uruguayan Association; 54 producer members) as associated organizations, particularly in dissemination, transfer, and training activities, ensures that this group of direct beneficiaries will be reached. The group of indirect beneficiaries remains highly speculative. However, knowing that farmers from these associations in Argentina and Uruguay are leaders in their fields, a very conservative estimate suggests that the project's impact will reach at least 10,000 indirect beneficiaries in the initial stage after the project's completion. Additionally, both emerging researchers and students who participate in this proposal will also be direct beneficiaries (those involved in training under the project) and indirect beneficiaries (those who will benefit from results published in subsequent literature).

Sustainable Development Goals

Main donors

Participating Organizations

Executor

Universidad de Lleida (UdL) - España

Co-executor

Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) - Argentina
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA) - Uruguay

Associated

Asociación Argentina de Productores en Siembra Directa (AAPRESID) - Argentina
Asociación Argentina de Consorcios Regionales de Experimentación Agrícola (AACREA) - Argentina
Agricultores Federados Argentinos S.C.L. (AFA) - Argentina
Federación Uruguaya de Grupos CREA (FUCREA) - Uruguay
Asociación Uruguaya Pro Siembra Directa (AUSID) - Uruguay
Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma State University) - Estados Unidos
Kansas State University (KSU) - Estados Unidos