Selective breeding could improve drought tolerance for crops in warming world, scientists say

Though farmers can easily select crops which produce bigger yields, science can also help them choose hardier specimens, writes Harry Cockburn

Genes found in tomato roots dictate how the plant will respond to drought conditions, scientists have found (Getty )

On a rapidly warming planet, one of the most pressing concerns is how humans can maintain their food supply amid conditions which are widely becoming increasingly detrimental to crop-growing

Among other changing weather trends, the climate crisis is bringing some parts of the world more intense heat waves and periods of drought, which can have major impacts on the quantity and quality of harvests.

But University of California scientists have discovered genetic data they say can help food crops such as tomatoes and rice survive longer and more intense periods of drought.