Impacts and adaptation of the cropping systems to climate change in the Northeast Farming Region of China

Published Date

August 2016, Vol.78:60–72, doi:10.1016/j.eja.2016.04.012

Title 

Impacts and adaptation of the cropping systems to climate change in the Northeast Farming Region of China

• Author 

• Xiaogang Yin ^a,b
• Jørgen E. Olesen ^b
• Meng Wang ^a
• Isik Öztürk ^b
• Hailin Zhang ^a
• Fu Chen ^a,,

• aCollege of Agronomy, China Agricultural University; and Key Laboratory of Farming system, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
• bDepartment of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Alle 20, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark

Received 7 February 2016. Revised 24 April 2016. Accepted 24 April 2016. Available online 18 May 2016.

Highlights

• •
  An expert survey indicates that drought, flooding and chilling damage were the largest limitations for the main crops (maize, rice and soybean) in the Northeast Farming Region of China (NFR) under global change.
• •
  Farmers in NFR have been adopting crop production to climate change by mainly changing crop types and management strategies.
• •
  The expected future climate change will be beneficial for the crop sowing and harvest conditions particularly in northern NFR, which will also increase the climate risks especially in Songliao.
• •
  The importance of ten adaptation strategies (i.e. breeding, crop protection and agricultural infrastructures, etc.) was stressed out in crop production in the future across NFR.

Abstract

The Northeast Farming Region of China (NFR) is a very important crop growing area, comprising seven sub-regions: Xing’anling (XA), Sanjiang (SJ), Northwest Songliao (NSL), Central Songliao (CSL), Southwest Songliao (SSL), Changbaishan (CB) and Liaodong (LD), which has been severely affected by extreme climate events and climatic change. Therefore, a set of expert survey has been done to identify current and project future climate limitations to crop production and explore appropriate adaptation measures in NFR. Droughts have been the largest limitation for maize (Zea mays L.) in NSL and SSL, and for soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in SSL. Chilling damage has been the largest limitation for rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in XA, SJ and CB. Projected climate change is expected to be beneficial for expanding the crop growing season, and to provide more suitable conditions for sowing and harvest. Autumn frost will occur later in most parts of NFR, and chilling damage will also decrease, particularly for rice production in XA and SJ. Drought and heat stress are expected to become more severe for maize and soybean production in most parts of NFR. Also, plant diseases, pests and weeds are considered to become more severe for crop production under climate change. Adaptation measures that have already been implemented in recent decades to cope with current climatic limitations include changes in timing of cultivation, variety choice, soil tillage practices, crop protection, irrigation and use of plastic film for soil cover. With the projected climate change and increasing risk of climatic extremes, additional adaptation measures will become relevant for sustaining and improving productivity of crops in NFR to ensure food security in China.

Keywords

• Climate change
• Vulnerability
• Impact
• Adaptation
• Cropping systems
• The Northeast Farming Region of China

---

Fig. 1.

 Table 1

Table 1.

 Table 2

Table 2.

 Table 3

Table 3.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.
  
  

For further details log on website :
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1161030116300740