It is likely that we will need to adapt agricultural production systems to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change and enhance some of the beneficial impacts. These projects consider some of the approaches that might be taken.

Project leader: Brian Thomas

Identification of important crop traits for adaptation to climate change (Defra project AC0314)

Project leader: Andrew Thompson

• EU Water-bee project
• Crop Improvement for resource efficiency (Defra project WU128, 2009-2013)
• Generic approaches to increasing water-use efficiency (WUE) in crops by enhancing abscisic acid biosynthesis (Defra 2007-2011)
• Identification of molecular markers for water-use efficiency in horticultural crops (Defra 2004-2009)
• Genetic control of root traits important for water use in horticultural crops (Defra 2005-2010)
• Defra report - Opportunities for reducing water use in agriculture (2006)

Project leader: Rosemary Collier

• Ecosystem services for climate change adaptation in land management (Defra project AC0308)
• Assessing the potential for novel bioenergy crops in the UK under a changing climate (Defra project AC0312)