Breeding and domesticating crops adapted to drought and salinity: a new paradigm for increasing food production.

Fita Fernández Ana María, Rodríguez Burruezo Adrián, Boscaiu Neagu Mónica Tereza, Prohens Tomás Jaime, Vicente Meana Óscar

2015

Frontiers in Plant Science

Worldpopulationisexpectedtoreach9.2×109peopleby2050.Feedingthemwillrequireaboostincropproductivityusinginnovativeapproaches.Currentagriculturalproductionisverydependentonlargeamountsofinputsandwateravailabilityisamajorlimitingfactor.Inaddition,thelossofgeneticdiversityandthethreatofclimatechangemakeachangeofparadigminplantbreedingandagriculturalpracticesnecessary.Averageyieldsinallmajorcropsareonlyasmallfractionofrecordyields,anddroughtandsoilsalinityarethemainfactorsresponsibleforyieldreduction.Thereforethereistheneedtoenhancecropproductivitybyimprovingcropadaptation.Herewereviewthepresentsituationandproposethedevelopmentofcropstoleranttodroughtandsaltstressforaddressingthechallengeofdramaticllyincreasingfoodproductioninthenearfuture.Thesuccessinthedevelopmentofcropsadaptedtodroughtandsaltdependsontheefficientandcombineduseofgeneticengineeringandtraditionalbredingtools.Moreover,weproposethedomesticationofnewhalophiliccropstocreatea‘salineagriculture’whichwillnotcompeteintermsofresourceswithconventionalagriculture.