Present and near future water availability for closing yield gaps in four crops in South America
(2015) In Student thesis series INES NGEM01 20141Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
- Abstract
- Sustaining crop yields present challenges worldwide. These challenges vary regionally and climate change may have positive or negative effects on crop yields. Closing yield gaps in already established cropping areas is one of the solutions to increase future food supply. Fraction water yield gaps are defined as how far yields with high levels of nutrients are from attainable (irrigated) yields. In this study the largest water yield gaps for maize, rice, wheat and potato in South America are located. Climate change over a fifty-year period influences these water gaps generating large positive or negative changes for maize, wheat and potato mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. South America presents a great potential to increase yields... (More)
- Sustaining crop yields present challenges worldwide. These challenges vary regionally and climate change may have positive or negative effects on crop yields. Closing yield gaps in already established cropping areas is one of the solutions to increase future food supply. Fraction water yield gaps are defined as how far yields with high levels of nutrients are from attainable (irrigated) yields. In this study the largest water yield gaps for maize, rice, wheat and potato in South America are located. Climate change over a fifty-year period influences these water gaps generating large positive or negative changes for maize, wheat and potato mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. South America presents a great potential to increase yields by irrigation for the four crops in this study. Looking also at available water during the growing period it is possible to identify regions of large suitability to increase yield. Suitability further changes over time display negative or positive trends for few areas reflecting future changes in climate and yield. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Future presents several challenges related to food security, water management and environmental sustainability. Regarding to food security field, yield gaps constitute an important concern in order to face the increasing food demand in the world. Crop yields can be maximized by closing these yield gaps.
In this study the largest water yield gaps for maize, rice, wheat and potato in South America are located. Climate change over a fifty-year period influences these water gaps generating large positive or negative changes for maize, wheat and potato mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Looking also at available water during the growing period it is possible to identify regions of large suitability to increase yield. Suitability... (More) - Future presents several challenges related to food security, water management and environmental sustainability. Regarding to food security field, yield gaps constitute an important concern in order to face the increasing food demand in the world. Crop yields can be maximized by closing these yield gaps.
In this study the largest water yield gaps for maize, rice, wheat and potato in South America are located. Climate change over a fifty-year period influences these water gaps generating large positive or negative changes for maize, wheat and potato mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Looking also at available water during the growing period it is possible to identify regions of large suitability to increase yield. Suitability further changes over time display negative or positive trends for few areas reflecting future changes in climate and yield.
South America presents great potential to improve rainfed yields and consequently to close water yield gaps. As agriculture water demand is lower than renewable available water, the region has an interesting opportunity for irrigation adaptation in a climate change context. However, the subcontinent also presents social and economic challenges that may limit its potential. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/5049088
- author
- Markley Vergara, Karla LU
- supervisor
-
- Per Bodin LU
- organization
- course
- NGEM01 20141
- year
- 2015
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- growing season precipitation, water yield gap, Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis, fraction water yield gap, LPJ-GUESS, climate change
- publication/series
- Student thesis series INES
- report number
- 333
- language
- English
- id
- 5049088
- date added to LUP
- 2015-02-16 11:59:42
- date last changed
- 2015-02-16 11:59:42
@misc{5049088,
abstract = {{Sustaining crop yields present challenges worldwide. These challenges vary regionally and climate change may have positive or negative effects on crop yields. Closing yield gaps in already established cropping areas is one of the solutions to increase future food supply. Fraction water yield gaps are defined as how far yields with high levels of nutrients are from attainable (irrigated) yields. In this study the largest water yield gaps for maize, rice, wheat and potato in South America are located. Climate change over a fifty-year period influences these water gaps generating large positive or negative changes for maize, wheat and potato mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. South America presents a great potential to increase yields by irrigation for the four crops in this study. Looking also at available water during the growing period it is possible to identify regions of large suitability to increase yield. Suitability further changes over time display negative or positive trends for few areas reflecting future changes in climate and yield.}},
author = {{Markley Vergara, Karla}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Student thesis series INES}},
title = {{Present and near future water availability for closing yield gaps in four crops in South America}},
year = {{2015}},
}