‘Warmer temperatures are likely to reduce yields of major crops’

As climate patterns become more erratic, crops may face floods, droughts, and heat within a single year, said Prof Ramesh V Sonti.

Warmer temperatures are likely to reduce yields of major crops such as rice, maize, wheat, and soybean, and as climate patterns become more erratic, crops may face floods, droughts, and heat within a single year, said Prof Ramesh V Sonti, director of the international centre for genetic engineering and biotechnology, New Delhi.

World Environment Day event was celebrated by CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow in collaboration with the International Society of Environmental Botanists (ISEB) (HT)

Sonti was speaking at the World Environment Day event celebrated by CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow in collaboration with the International Society of Environmental Botanists (ISEB) on Wednesday.

“We need to develop crop varieties with broad adaptation to multiple climate change stresses. All modern plant breeding technologies, including genomic selection, genome editing, and genetic transformation, must be utilized to develop new crops for food security. We must reduce pesticide usage and adopt alternatives such as microbial fertilizers to improve crop yields,” suggested Sonti, who was also the chief guest of the function.

While welcoming the guests, Dr AK Shasany, director of CSIR-NBRI, highlighted the importance of this year’s World Environment Day theme, ‘Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.’ Dr PV Sane, former director of CSIR-NBRI, graced the occasion as the guest of honour.

‘Neelkamal’ nursery inaugurated

Dr N Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR, New Delhi & Secretary, DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, inaugurated the newly established ‘Nursery & Floriculture Centre’ named ‘Neelkamal’ at the centre.