CHALLENGES TOAGRICULTURE

What is our future?

CHALLENGES Feeding the world/food security Understanding what G x E x M means Increasing the efficiency of plant and

animal production Promoting the soil as a resource Developing effective linkages with pest

specialists Focus on product quality (grain, forage)

FEEDING THE WORLD/FOOD SECURITY

THE PROBLEM

OPTIMISM OF US CORN PRODUCTION

US Corn Production

X Data

1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Gra

in Y

ield

(M

g ha

-1)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Expect yields to continue to increase

REALITY OF WORLD WHEAT PRODUCTION

World Wheat Production

Year

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Pro

duct

ion

(mill

ion

met

ric to

ns)

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Wheat and Rice show a leveling in yield increases in the past 20 years

UNDERSTANDING WHAT G X E X M MEANS

INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF CROP AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION

PROMOTING THE SOIL AS A RESOURCE

VULNERABLE AREAS OF THE WORLD

SOIL WATER AVAILABILITY

Organic Matter (%)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Ava

ilab

le W

ate

r C

on

ten

t (%

)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Data Points Sand, AWC = 3.8 + 2.2 OMSilt Loam, AWC = 9.2 + 3.7 OMSilty clay loam, AWC = 6.3 + 2.8 OM

Hudson, 1994

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE LINKAGES WITH PEST SPECIALISTS

INSECTS, DISEASES, AND WEEDS

Weeds are showing a positive response to rising CO2 concentrations

Insect and disease pressure increase with more favorable environments over the winter and more humid conditions during the growing season.

PESTS Increasing temperatures will expand the

range of overwintering insects Additional stress on plants will create a

condition of potential susceptibility to pathogens and insects

FOCUS ON PRODUCT QUALITY (GRAIN, FORAGE)

PRODUCT QUALITY Within season conditions will affect the

quality of the grain, fiber, or fruit. Examples

Protein content in wheatAflatoxin in grainsWine qualityRaisin quality

CHALLENGES Feeding the world/food security Understanding what G x E x M means Increasing the efficiency of plant and

animal production Promoting the soil as a resource Developing effective linkages with pest

specialists Focus on product quality (grain, forage)

CHALLENGES Agronomists are positioned to address

these challenges Need to focus on the system with its

moving parts to fully develop solutions applicable to producers