Rising temperatures due to climate change may be compounding the stress on crops in multiple ways, it says
Insect attacks are becoming stronger with rising temperatures and plants are not able to cope with the double whammy from pests and rising heat. These are the findings of a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study reinforces previous findings that persistent warm and dry conditions make pests ‘hungrier’, increase their populations and geographical range. Due to increased metabolic rates, insects eat more in hot conditions.
With rapidly rising temperatures due to mounting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities, crops are increasingly facing both threats — extreme heat and pest attacks — simultaneously.
The study found that the dual threat might be more than the crops can handle.
Please click here to read more.