Review. Climate change impacts on seed production and quality

As the effects of climate change become increasingly severe and evident, there is growing concern about the future of food production. However, unlike its impact on crop yields, there is little clarity on the effects of climate change on the foundation of most agricultural systems: seed production and quality. In this paper, Maity and colleagues provide a detailed review of how climate change can affect the different phases of seed development and the seed supply chain. They focus on four abiotic factors: temperature, precipitation, CO₂ concentration and UV radiation. An analysis with a selected crop pool indicates that some groups of plants’ seed yield and quality might be more susceptible to climate change, such as annuals, monocots and self-pollinated species. Still, the authors highlight the need for a more comprehensive quantitative analysis to assess the extent and magnitude of such impacts. Various strategies to potentially minimize the adverse effects of climate change are outlined, including seed enhancement technologies and directed breeding schemes. Given this, this review should be a primer for those interested in better understanding the effects of climate change on the seed industry and the alternative to deal with it. (Summary by Carlos A. Ordóñez-Parra @caordonezparra) Seed Sci. Technol. 10.15258/sst.2023.51.1.07