Changes in the explanation of global crop yields due to climate variability

Abstract:

Crop productivity varies each year on account of several factors, primarily variations in temperature and precipitation. How much of the variability in crop yields is explained by climate variations is important for stabilizing future food production. Even more important is determining whether the proportion of crop yields explained by climate is changing. In this presentation we will show how much of the yield variability observed for maize, rice, wheat, and soybean is explained by climate variability. We have also identified regions where this explanation is changing and will present global maps of these changes.