Climate Change and Crop Production Foundations for Agroecosystem Resilience

Presenting an overview of agroecology within the framework of climate change,this booklooks at the impact of our changing climateon crop production and agroecosystems, reporting on how plants will cope with these changes, and how we can mitigate these negative impacts to ensure food production for the growing population. It explores theways that farmerscan confront the challenges of climate change, with contributed chapters from around the world demonstrating the different challenges associated with differing climates.Examples are provided of the approaches being taken right now to expand the ecological, physiological, morphological, and productive potential of a range of crop types. Describes the effects and responses of the macro and micro levels of crops under the different components of climate change Reports on the adaptation and resilience of food production systems within the changing climate Covers how plants cope with the changing climate including physiological, biochemical, phenotype, and ecosystem responses Provides an in-depth discussion on the importance of agricultural education connected to climate change Giving readers a greater understanding of the mechanisms of plant resilience to climate change, this book provides new insights into improvingthe productivity of an individual crop species as well as bringing resistance and resiliency to the entire agroecosystem. It offers a strong foundation for changing research and education programs so that they build the resistance and resilience that will be needed for the uncertain climate future ahead.

Agroecology, Climate Change, and Agroecosystem Resilience. Physiological and Morphological Mechanisms Mediating Plant Tolerance to Osmotic Stress: Balancing Tolerance and Productivity. Response and Adaptation of Crops to Carbon Dioxide Rise: Coping or Dying. The Physiology and Phenology of Crop Production Under Temperate Climate Changes. Fitting Wheat Phenology to Maximize Yield in a Changing Climate. Response of Pulses to Climate Change: A Physiological Perspective. Climate Resilient Agriculture of Rice: A Physiological Perspective. Tropical Crops and Resilience to Climate Change. Grassland Resilience to Climate Change: From Species to Ecosystem. Effect of Topographic Properties on Crop Yield Variability and Farm Size in a Rural Farming Landscape: Opportunities for Engancing Resilience. Climatic Constraints in Tropical Forages and Common Beans: Suite of Plant Traits to Overcome Water Stress. Climate Change and Food Production Systems Sustainability. Mainstreaming Climate Change in Agricultural and Agroecology Education.

Dr. Noureddine Benkeblia is a Professor of Crop Science involved in food science focusing on food-plants biochemistry and physiology. His work is mainly devoted to the pre- and postharvest metabolism in crops. Prof. Benkeblia, received his BSc, MPhil and Doctor in Food Sciences from the Institut National Agronomique (Algeria), and Doctor in Agriculture (PhD) from Kagoshima University (Japan). After a few years teaching in Algeria, he joined INRA, Avignon (France) as a Postdoctoral Scientist from 2000. From 2002 to 2007, he worked as a Visiting Professor at the University of Rakuno Gakuen, Ebetsu (Japan), and Research Associate at Hokaido University. Prof. Benkeblia joined the Department of Life Sciences, the University of the West Indies (Jamaica) in 2008, continuing his work on the physiology, the biochemistry and metabolomics of fructan-containing plants in Jamaica. He also works on the postharvest physiology and biochemistry of local fruits. Prof. Benkeblia has published over 150 papers, over 37 books and book chapters, and was recipient of many awards among them the UWI-Award for "Most Outstanding Research" in 2011 and 2013.