Scientists warn that wheat may need significantly more water during future heatwaves. Research shows that when wheat plants are exposed to heatwave conditions, they lose the water-saving benefit associated with growth in higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Modern.az reports, citing foreign media, that according to a new study conducted in Britain, future heatwaves could increase wheat's water demand more than current estimates. Researchers at the University of Sheffield have discovered that stomatal pores in wheat leaves open widely during heatwaves to help the plant stay cool. This means that wheat plants may use significantly more water than expected during extreme heatwaves in the future.
The study, led by biologists Robert Keyn and Holly Croft, revealed that when wheat plants are exposed to heatwave conditions, they lose many of the key water-saving benefits typically associated with growth in high atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
Wheat provides humanity with approximately 20% of daily calories globally and is the most cultivated crop by land area. However, according to the study, while productivity has sharply increased in the last century, mainly due to nitrogen fertilizers, this has also increased the crop's water demand and made it more susceptible to drought. Thus, during heatwaves, wheat stomata cannot effectively react to changing light levels, regardless of CO2 growth concentration.
