Climate change poses a serious threat to sustainable agriculture, particularly the production of high-quality seeds. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, drought, flooding, and salinity disrupt seed production systems by affecting critical stages such as flowering, pollination, and seed development. These stresses reduce seed set, viability, vigor, and genetic purity, ultimately impacting crop productivity and food security. Heat stress accelerates crop growth and shortens the seed filling period, while drought leads to shriveled seeds with poor germination. Flooding damages seed production fields and reduces seed longevity, whereas salinity interferes with physiological processes, resulting in poor seed formation. In hybrid seed production, climate variability further affects synchronization between parental lines, leading to reduced pollination efficiency and seed yield. Developing climate-resilient varieties capable of withstanding multiple stresses is essential for maintaining seed quality under changing environments. Modern breeding approaches, including genomic selection, speed breeding, and the use of diverse genetic resources, are accelerating the development of stress-tolerant crops. Strengthening climate-resilient seed production systems is crucial to ensure a continuous supply of quality seeds and sustain agricultural productivity under future climate scenarios.
Climate-Resilient, Seed Production, Coping with Heat, Drought, Flood, Salinity Stresses
Abusaleha, A. and Shanmugavelu, K.G. 1988. Studies on the effect of organic versus inorganic sources of nitrogen on growth, yield and quality of okra. Indian Journal of Horticulture 45: 312–318.
FAO. 2009. Seed industry for food security in the light of climate change and soaring food prices: Challenges and opportunities. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome.
Hampton, J.G. 2002. What is seed quality? Seed Science and Technology 30: 1–10.
Hatfield, J.L. and Prueger, J.H. 2015. Temperature extremes: Effect on plant growth and development. Weather and Climate Extremes 10(A): 4–10. doi: 10.1016/j.wace.2015.08.001.
Singh, R.P., Prasad, P.V.V. and Reddy, K.R. 2013. Impacts of changing climate and climate variability on seed production and seed industry. Advances in Agronomy 118: 49–110.
Sravani, C., Prasanna, T. and Mrudula, D. 2024. Climate change impact on quality seed production. In: Climate Change and Agriculture – Its Impact and Mitigation Potential. KD Publications, India. pp. 94–104.
