Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Slow Varietal Turnover in Soybean a Challenge to Climate Change Adaptation and Disease Control: Pathways to Circumvent

Chandra S. Nuthalapati*

The ongoing cultivar transformation of crops termed ‘varietal turnover’ manifests in transition from the existing improved varieties to the new improved varieties, as farmers in most of the world replaced landraces during the Green Revolution and subsequent decades. Younger varieties significantly enhance yield through genetic gains and protection against climate change and associated changes that lead to changing crop cycles and multiple disease and insect challenges. Studies documented significant yield increases with frequent varietal change and vice versa. However, long varietal age in developing countries, especially in climate change-vulnerable countries of Africa and South Asia, poses challenges for climate adaptation, crop protection, yields, and consequently, poverty reduction and food and nutrition security. Farmers continuing with older varieties face a ‘technology treadmill’ of higher average production costs than those harnessing younger ones. New literature deals with the shift to new improved varieties, the rate of change or turnover of varieties, and the determinants and pathways for accelerating the desired change. The present study is a part of the new strand of literature and employs a dynamic framework using duration analysis to examine macroeconomic adoption patterns and farm-level varietal change simultaneously.

Published Date: 2025-06-22; Received Date: 2024-09-18