Temperature, plant development and crop yields

Improved understanding of plant developmental responses to temperature can lead to more reliable predictions of crop yield, and may help in the design of crops that are better matched to their environment. A problem of current concern is how to identify the temperature measurements and the types of interaction with daylength that best predict the timing of developmental events (phenology) and yield. Another problem is to identify how temperature-sensitive the developmental rate should be in order to maximize yields and stability in particular environments. Here, we describe advances in the prediction of plant phenology and recent ideas for improving the match between the developmental responses of crops to temperature and their target environment.