Effect of Maize Production in a Changing Climate: Its Impacts, Adaptation, and Mitigation Strategies through Breeding

Increasing the population and off them living styles effect on the surrounding environment leads to changes in climate with time. In the long run, the climatic change could affect agriculture in several ways such as quantity and quality of crops in terms of productivity, growth rates, photosynthesis and transpiration rates, moisture availability etc. Among the agricultural crops maize is also one of the most important food crops. Predictions suggest that worldwide climate change will reduce maize production this will coincide with a substantial increase in demand for maize due to rising populations. However, selection for climate change adaptation cultivar is difficult due to complex genotype by environment interactions. The broader use of traits from alien species and the manipulation of heterosis and polyploidy create new perspectives for improving yield potential and adaptation to climate change. Maize research has a crucial role to play in enhancing adaptation and mitigation of climate change while also enhancing food security. The varieties of maize hybrids with increased tolerance to heat and drought stress and resistance to pests and diseases are serious for handling existing climatic variability and for adaptation to progressive climate change.