The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change

Virtually all industries are affected in at least some small way by the specter of climate change, but few are feeling its effects as acutely as agrochemicals. Based in the outdoors and rooted in the earth, the business can never afford to ignore the weather or fail to react to changes in the environment, and it is the agrochemicals industry that plays the biggest role in ensuring that crops can thrive in less-than-ideal conditions. While “plagues” ranging from pestilence to drought have always been a danger for crops, climate change is intensifying existing challenges and posing brand new ones.

CHEMICALS – The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change• 2014 1 Troubles Are Heating Up

A 2007 study by Lobell and Field problem. Known as the ‘plant that asserts that climate trends over ate the South,’ kudzu is moving the last three decades have shown northward and now being found in “a discernible negative impact on states like Ohio and Illinois. It’s bad global production of several major enough that kudzu can suffocate trees crops”. Global warming is one of the and ruin manmade structures, but it most pronounced of these changes, is also a host for a disease that could and the increased global temperatures devastate soybean crops. brought on by climate change can And of course the extremes in have a number of effects potentially weather are increasingly problematic hazardous to agriculture. For some for farmers trying to grow healthy crops, the added heat could mean crops amidst harsh droughts and the growing season isn’t as long catastrophic floods. Randall Madden, as preferred, while for other crops a 60-year-old, self-described “farm the higher temperatures could boy” who spent years working on inhibit pollination. breeding and biotechnology in the The warming temperatures are also agrochemical space, has seen these making it possible for some invasive extremes on the Iowa family farm that species to make their way into areas he owns and operates. “We’ve had two where they did not used to be a to three 100-year floods in the past problem. Management and technology few years,” he says, noting that if these executive Dr. Ronald Purdum, a patterns become the norm instead former scientist and R&D manager at of the extreme, it will put much more , cites kudzu as a particularly pressure on management to maintain notable and worrisome example of this and improve crop protection measures.

Food Shortage Fears

Frustratingly, climate change must double by 2050 in order to feed threatens to damage and lessen the the burgeoning population, one billion planet’s food supply at a time when of whom are already suffering from we need more food than ever. The hunger. This is a concern that is raised worldwide population continues to again and again among those working explode, meaning that it’s not just in agrochemicals, who feel a great about protecting the current supply, responsibility to see their industry but also being prepared to grow it meet this vital need. substantially to meet an ever-greater global demand. The United Nations has declared that food production

CHEMICALS – The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change• 2014 2 Biotech to the Rescue

“I’m a big believer in biotech and the Berkeley Blog, author David Zilberman Researchers doors that it can open,” says Madden, suggests that one such who was working at Asgrow (a seed could be to make GM soybean crops are working on company owned by Monsanto) when with improved digestibility, so that the first biotechnology products were the eating them release fewer biotechnology that introduced in the 1990s. “Humanity greenhouse gases. is dependent on crop breeding in could solve any Researchers are working on combination with biotechnology to biotechnology that could solve number of problems keep up with climate change.” any number of problems related to related to climate Advances in biotechnology have made climate change, but it can be a long it possible to genetically modify crops and arduous process of trial and change, but it can be with traits that make them resistant error, as they attempt to find a long and arduous to pests and diseases. This not only effective solutions. GM crops that helps farmers fight off problems that are resistant to drought, for example, process of trial and may result from climate change, but it would be a godsend for farmers, error, as they attempt also means that they contribute less but Madden explains that though to it themselves. Why? When farmers “drought tolerance has been worked to find effective get better yields, they need less on for quite a while, early gene land to grow on – therefore slowing products have been somewhat solutions. and the greenhouse disappointing to companies based gas emissions that come with it. on what is offered and achieved. ”He points out that regional differences And there is so much more that in rainfall and soil type, as well as biotech could do to actively fight climate shifts, can complicate matters. climate change. In a piece in The

GMO Woes

Of course, while biotechnology has at fear becoming too dependent on the times seemed like a miracle solution, GM seeds being sold to them by large it has not been without controversy. multinational companies. GMOs are The debate has been heated, with also sometimes fallible when it comes some detractors worrying about the to doing what they are designed to possible long-term consequences do: protect crops. “In some species,” that these crops could have on the Madden explains, “insects can adapt environment, and others wondering and develop resistance.” As a result, if there are any potential health risks agrochemical R&D departments must to consuming them. Some people are constantly be working to keep ahead also raising concerns over issues like of the pests with newer, better GMOs. agricultural sovereignty, where farmers

CHEMICALS – The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change• 2014 3 Accelerated Evolution and Hybrids

Aware of the negative response GM “Scientists can easily boost the Physiologist for the USDA, has been crops are receiving in some quarters mutation rates using either chemicals spearheading promising work with (notably in Europe, where they are very or radiation and, given the knowledge weeds. Weeds, of course, are known heavily regulated), agrochemical firms of the genome sequence and an idea for their persistence, often thriving in are exploring alternatives. An article of which genes they want to change, the worst conditions and threatening in Current Biology highlights the work they can select mutated seeds without the lives of food crops. Ziska’s goal is that CropScience is doing to having to go through the entire life to capture the traits that allow weeds improve the ability of plants to handle cycle of the plant to identify the most to survive high temperatures and CO2 stress (such as those brought on by promising variants.” levels and transfer them to popular climate change) by optimizing their crops like rice and wheat. Success with Breeding hybrid plants has long been metabolisms. Using a “somewhat more these hybrids could mean we’ll have a way of cultivating the best traits natural” method that combines the stronger crops better able to survive in crops, such as disease resistance, disciplines of molecular biology and our warming climate and feed our and the possibilities for climate genomics, evolution is fast forwarded growing population. change resistance are significant. For by accelerating mutation and selection. instance, Lewis Ziska, a Research Plant

Getting Greener

In India, which has a population topping which offer protection for plants Also in the area of environmental one billion, the government itself has from problems such as fungi and friendliness, naturally occurring challenged the agrochemicals industry , are made from renewable microbes are revealing themselves to invest more in R&D in order to pave resources and don’t release the to be a helpful ally in crop protection. the way for the agricultural harmful greenhouse gasses that Purdum explains that a microorganism needed to ensure a good food supply contribute to global warming. As it is with beneficial properties can be for the nation’s people. Indrajit Pal the release of these gases (CO2, isolated, cultured and put through a of the Ministry of Chemicals and nitrous oxide, and methane) that biological growing approach in order has put particular emphasis is driving so much of the climate to generate a large quantity. It is then on pursuing “the development of eco- change problem, the usefulness used to inoculate the seeds, soil or friendly green agrochemicals,” as this is of developing better biosurfactants root system of a crop for whatever an important emerging area in R&D. can’t be underestimated. They also protective properties the microbe maintain their effectiveness at has. This method of plant protection Agrochemical products like fertilizers extreme temperatures, meaning that eliminates worries about toxicity. and are nearly indispensable they can resist the existing effects in farming today, but they are not of global warming while avoiding necessarily known for being eco- contributing to them. friendly. However, biosurfactants,

CHEMICALS – The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change• 2014 4 Embracing a New Paradigm

With the incredibly complex problem Noting the major changes that the Building alliances of climate change causing difficulties agrochemical industry went through on multiple fronts, agrochemical when biotech was introduced, Madden must be made a key companies can’t overcome the issue’s asserts, “We’ll go through another many challenges on their own. phase of restructuring when the make- strategy, whether Building alliances must be made a up of the industry and the key players it’s acquiring key strategy, whether it’s acquiring will be destabilized again. That will be innovative technology companies, motivated and driven, at least in part, innovative technology establishing partnerships with by climate change and the move of companies, research universities, or even reaching production areas. The Corn Belt will out to the competition. “Agrochem move from where it is today,” he says, establishing companies are developing alliances referring to the fact that temperature among themselves in order to look at increases are altering which areas partnerships with older chemicals that are maybe not as are suitable for certain crops. “The research universities, readily used today,” notes Purdum. geographical shift as well as this whole mix of biotech and agchem will, in my is another component of the or even reaching out opinion, require a much different- brave new world brought on by climate looking industry.” to the competition. change. With everything from hybrids and GM seeds to biosurfactants Purdum emphasizes the need to think and traditional pesticides available, differently moving forward. “We don’t farmers now more than ever need need to go on past history. We need advice on what to plant and how to to be aware of it, and learn from it, best protect their crops. Purdum but we’ve got to look at a different stresses that “agrochemical companies paradigm as far as how we go about must educate as best they can, the producing food around the world.” users and consumers, on what type of practices will benefit them the best.” There is already a developing concept known as prescriptive farming, provided by companies like Monsanto, which Madden describes as “a prescription for your field; a map of what they recommend you should follow throughout the entire production process.”

CHEMICALS – The Agrochemicals Industry Takes on Climate Change• 2014 5 Readying For the Hard Road Ahead

With so many variables in the mix, the For those interested in learning agrochemicals industry simply cannot more about the climate change-related be expected to predict the future. But challenges that agriculture faces mounting scientific studies, a wealth of and cutting-edge approaches practical experience and good common for maintaining and increasing sense tell us that climate change is productivity in the midst of them, going to make life tougher for plants, Elsevier is hosting a conference and, therefore, more complicated for from February 15-17, 2015 in the agrochemical companies and their Netherlands titled “Agriculture and hard-working R&D departments. The Climate Change – Adapting Crops challenge is for these researchers to to Increased Uncertainty”. Topics continue finding adaptable solutions covered will include: plant stresses, that will help the agricultural world agricultural sustainability, resource meet the uncertain difficulties posed use efficiency, effects of CO2 on by climate change. plant growth and more. To be a part of this crucial conversation, register for the conference here: www.agricultureandclimatechange. com/conference-register.html

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