Heat waves underscore urgency of developing heat-tolerant crops

Southeast Asia grappled with a record-breaking heat wave in April and May that not only claimed hundreds of lives but diminished entire crop harvests, putting the region’s food security in jeopardy.

The frequency and intensity of heat waves are only expected to increase in line with climate change. And though plant scientists have for decades bred climate-resilient crops — strengthening their tolerance to drought, flooding, and emerging diseases — experts say not enough is being invested into the research and development of crops that can withstand extreme heat.

“There is so much potential but not enough funding,” said Benjamin Kilian, senior scientist and project coordinator at the nonprofit Crop Trust, which works to conserve crop diversity and funds gene banks worldwide. “On the global scale, we need more investments into this work.”