Abstract

Plants respond to adverse biotic and abiotic conditions within their local environment, whereby they use their remarkable ability to adjust their physiology to cope with and acclimate to changing growth conditions. Climate change threatens agriculture, increasing the loss of soil and reducing areas suitable for crop production systems; by 2050 it will be necessary to increase plant productivity by 70% to satisfy the needs of an ever- increasing world population (FAO 2019). Crop yield is largely determined by climate conditions, therefore minor deviations from optimal conditions can strongly penalize yield potential in terms of quantity, but also quality. Considering the agricultural challenges we face for the next coming decades, a deeper understanding of the effect of environmental factors on crop growth and development could significantly reduce yield losses and improve quality, ensuring food security worldwide. The development of new varieties with high and stable genetic potential for high density crop production is the main challenge for breeding and modern agronomy. However, there are contrasting views to achieve this goal. It has been highlighted that modern cultivars usually achieve higher yields with plenty of soil nutrients and optimal climate conditions.