Essay by Eric Worrall
Smithsonian reporter Sarah Kuta have found that it is possible to eat tropical foods like breadfruit in place of wheat, if the planet warms up.
Is Breadfruit the climate change food of the future?
New research shows it will outperform our current staple crops in warming conditions
Sarah Kuta
Daily reporter August 30, 2022 11:11 amWhether fried, fermented, roasted or eaten raw, bread is one versatile food that has played an important role in Ocean cuisine for thousands of years. Now, as the climate continues to change due to human action, fruit can increasingly play an important role in tackling global hunger, according to a new report. paper published this month in the magazine PLOS Climate.
Previous research has found that yields of major crops such as Corn, soy bean, wheat and ricemay decline in the future because of climate change, especially in regions near the equator. But the green, lemon-yellow variety of the pomelo tree appears to be more resistant to rising temperatures and increased rainfall variability, new research suggests.
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“Breadfruit is a neglected and underutilized species that is relatively resilient in our climate change projections,” said Daniel Hortonan Earth and planetary scientist at Northwestern University and one of the study’s authors, in a statement. “This is good news because some of the other staples we rely on are not resilient… As we implement strategies to adapt to climate change, breadfruit needs to be seen. in adapting to food security”.
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Here’s another thought – now that Earth and planetary scientists have discovered that people in the tropics can grow food, do you think the genetic engineers of the future could transmit that ability? heat tolerance for cold climate fruit or cold resilience for warm climate fruit ?
That way, we can continue to enjoy all the foods we love, plus more, no matter what happens to the global climate.
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