Enhancing drought resilience in tropical perennial crops through innovative stable isotope techniques

Dercon Gerd, Van Laere J., Vantyghem Mathilde, Nakamya Janice, Hood-Nowotny Rebecca, Merckx Roel. 2024. Enhancing drought resilience in tropical perennial crops through innovative stable isotope techniques. . FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Royal Thai Government. s.l. : s.n., Résumé, 3 p. International Soil and Water Forum 2024, Bangkok, Thaïlande, 9 Décembre 2024/11 Décembre 2024.

Résumé : Climate change is impacting tropical perennial crops like banana, cassava, and coffee. In regions with inconsistent rainfall, bananas and coffee may show some resilience, but yield thresholds have already been exceeded in some tropical regions (Abdoussalami et al., 2023; Nakamura et al., 2024). While cassava shows promise under erratic rainfall (Parmar et al., 2017), substantial yield losses still occur due to water deficits (Connor et al., 1981). Stable isotope and complementary techniques are transforming efforts to improve drought tolerance in these crops (Nakamya, 2024; Van Laere et al., 2023a, 2023b, 2024; Vantyghem et al., 2022, 2023a, 2023b). Since 2017, these methods have been developed and tested through field trials in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, and greenhouse trials in Austria, aiming to assess drought tolerance and optimize agronomic practices. This presentation highlights findings from projects by the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, showcasing how these approaches can enhance drought resilience in tropical crops. Van Laere et al. (2024) demonstrated a significant correlation between δ13C signatures and root yield in dry conditions in cassava leaves during root initiation. δ13C and leaf retention were complementary indicators of root yield in dry environments. GxE interactions on δ13C identified genotypes particularly adaptive to drought. Earlier work (Van Laere et al., 2023a) showed that combining potassium application with variety selection significantly improves cassava's transpiration efficiency. However, Birindwa et al. (2023) found no evidence that potassium alone mitigates climate change impacts on cassava productivity under rainfed conditions. His research stressed the importance of early planting with improved cultivars, as delayed planting exposes cassava to more adverse effects of climate change. Vantyghem et al. (2022) found stable carbon isotopes and leaf temperature to be sensitive indicators of drought stress in bananas, leading to the development of low-cost, banana-specific field methods. Nakamya et al. (2024) improved sampling techniques for coffee plants, linking stable isotope data with easily measurable parameters for drought stress assessment. The FAO/IAEA Centre's work accelerates drought-tolerant trait selection, improving soil fertility management and water conservation. As isotope measurement becomes more affordable, it is increasingly integrated into mainstream agricultural research. Advances like mid-infrared spectroscopy allow for faster isotope signature estimation within plant matrices (e.g., cassava leaves), providing deeper insights into drought stress responses. Isotope data now calibrates conventional methods, like leaf temperature monitoring, enhancing drought stress assessments. These techniques are being scaled across Latin America and Africa through collaborations with CGIAR centres and national partners. The work also extends to mixed cropping systems like banana-coffee intercropping. This approach fosters sustainable soil and water management, combining science, innovation, and best practices to transform agrifood systems. This is crucial as the world faces growing environmental challenges, including the climate crisis. The presentation will emphasize the vital role of these techniques in driving agricultural transformation and resilience in tropical cropping systems.

Auteurs et affiliations

• Dercon Gerd, IAEA (AUT)
• Van Laere J., IAEA (AUT)
• Vantyghem Mathilde, CIRAD-PERSYST-UPR GECO (GLP) ORCID: 0000-0002-5617-3010
• Nakamya Janice, IAEA (AUT)
• Hood-Nowotny Rebecca, BOKU (AUT)
• Merckx Roel, KUL (BEL)

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/611545/)

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