The researchers used field chambers - boxes that simulate heatwaves - for their tests.
With heatwaves predicted to increase in intensity and duration, the importance of heat tolerant crops is becoming increasingly urgent. Daniel Tan , from the University of Sydney's Faculty of Agriculture and Environment specialises in developing heat tolerant crops. "Heatwaves can cause major crop failures, such as that of the American corn crop last year after consecutive days of soaring temperatures in the Midwest," Tan said. In Australia crops vulnerable to heat stress include wheat, chickpea and cotton grown in the nation's grain belt region. Tan and his team are developing heat resistant strains of these three crops. "Heat means not only a reduction in the amount of crop harvested but its quality. In wheat the effect of intense heat includes a reduction in the protein quality of the grain that is harvested.
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