Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies

Abstract Research on the impacts of climate change on crop yield is crucial for improving agricultural management practices and enhancing climate adaptability. Although previous studies have explored the effects of climate trends and fluctuations on wheat yield, their combined impacts under future c...

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Main Authors: Jinpeng Hu, Yichen Li, Peijun Shi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06370-6
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author Jinpeng Hu
Yichen Li
Peijun Shi
author_facet Jinpeng Hu
Yichen Li
Peijun Shi
author_sort Jinpeng Hu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Research on the impacts of climate change on crop yield is crucial for improving agricultural management practices and enhancing climate adaptability. Although previous studies have explored the effects of climate trends and fluctuations on wheat yield, their combined impacts under future climate scenarios in the North China Plain (NCP) remain insufficiently understood. This study employs the DSSAT model to analyze the impacts of future climate trends and fluctuations on winter wheat yield. The results indicate that in the 2030s, the benefits of increased precipitation outweighed the losses from rising temperatures, leading to a 1.5% increase in winter wheat yield in the NCP. However, by the 2080s, continuous temperature rise dominated yield reduction, resulting in a 13.4% decline, which exceeded the compensatory capacity of increased precipitation. Irrigated wheat was primarily influenced by temperature trends, while rainfed systems were more sensitive to precipitation fluctuations. Delaying the planting date and increasing field fertility could mitigate 6–7.5% of the potential losses caused by rising temperatures, whereas increasing irrigation had limited mitigation effects (only improving yield by 3%). This study quantifies the climate impact benefits on winter wheat in the NCP and highlights the need for prioritizing heat-tolerant varieties and optimizing sowing and fertilization practices over water-intensive adaptation strategies. The findings provide decision-making support for ensuring food security under a warming climate.
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spelling doaj-art-4a5120f29a68487eb55b2ea0c5f831402025-08-20T04:01:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-06370-6Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategiesJinpeng Hu0Yichen Li1Peijun Shi2State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Disaster Risk Reduction (ESPDRR)College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and TechnologyState Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Disaster Risk Reduction (ESPDRR)Abstract Research on the impacts of climate change on crop yield is crucial for improving agricultural management practices and enhancing climate adaptability. Although previous studies have explored the effects of climate trends and fluctuations on wheat yield, their combined impacts under future climate scenarios in the North China Plain (NCP) remain insufficiently understood. This study employs the DSSAT model to analyze the impacts of future climate trends and fluctuations on winter wheat yield. The results indicate that in the 2030s, the benefits of increased precipitation outweighed the losses from rising temperatures, leading to a 1.5% increase in winter wheat yield in the NCP. However, by the 2080s, continuous temperature rise dominated yield reduction, resulting in a 13.4% decline, which exceeded the compensatory capacity of increased precipitation. Irrigated wheat was primarily influenced by temperature trends, while rainfed systems were more sensitive to precipitation fluctuations. Delaying the planting date and increasing field fertility could mitigate 6–7.5% of the potential losses caused by rising temperatures, whereas increasing irrigation had limited mitigation effects (only improving yield by 3%). This study quantifies the climate impact benefits on winter wheat in the NCP and highlights the need for prioritizing heat-tolerant varieties and optimizing sowing and fertilization practices over water-intensive adaptation strategies. The findings provide decision-making support for ensuring food security under a warming climate.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06370-6Climate driversCrop model simulationIrrigation and rain-fed systemsAdaptive management
spellingShingle Jinpeng Hu
Yichen Li
Peijun Shi
Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
Scientific Reports
Climate drivers
Crop model simulation
Irrigation and rain-fed systems
Adaptive management
title Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
title_full Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
title_fullStr Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
title_full_unstemmed Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
title_short Impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the North China Plain and adaptation strategies
title_sort impact of future climate trend and fluctuation on winter wheat yield in the north china plain and adaptation strategies
topic Climate drivers
Crop model simulation
Irrigation and rain-fed systems
Adaptive management
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06370-6
work_keys_str_mv AT jinpenghu impactoffutureclimatetrendandfluctuationonwinterwheatyieldinthenorthchinaplainandadaptationstrategies
AT yichenli impactoffutureclimatetrendandfluctuationonwinterwheatyieldinthenorthchinaplainandadaptationstrategies
AT peijunshi impactoffutureclimatetrendandfluctuationonwinterwheatyieldinthenorthchinaplainandadaptationstrategies