The potential of Russia to increase its wheat production through cropland expansion and intensification
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The potential of Russia to increase its wheat production through cropland expansion and intensification. / Schierhorn, Florian; Prishchepov, Alexander; Müller, Daniel; Faramarzi, Monireh; Balmann, Alfons.
In: Global Food Security, Vol. 3, No. 3-4, 2014, p. 133-141.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The potential of Russia to increase its wheat production through cropland expansion and intensification
AU - Schierhorn, Florian
AU - Prishchepov, Alexander
AU - Müller, Daniel
AU - Faramarzi, Monireh
AU - Balmann, Alfons
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Russia is a major player in the global wheat market, but extensive unused land resources and large yield gaps suggest that wheat production can be substantially increased. We combined time series of cultivated cropland, abandoned cropland and yield gap estimates to assess the potential production of wheat in European Russia. Current wheat production is constrained by volatile inter-annual precipitation patterns and low applications of nitrogen fertilizers. We demonstrate that modest increases in the crop productivity and the recultivation of the recently abandoned croplands could increase wheat production by 9-32 million tons under rainfed conditions. Increases in the wheat yields, particularly within the fertile black soil belt in southern European Russia, will contribute the major share of the prospective production increases. Frequently recurring droughts, likely exacerbated by future climate change, and adverse market conditions jeopardize the exploitation of the production potentials. Improved adaptation to the volatile climate conditions and substantial institutional and political reforms in the agricultural sector are necessary to leverage the agricultural production potential of Russia.
AB - Russia is a major player in the global wheat market, but extensive unused land resources and large yield gaps suggest that wheat production can be substantially increased. We combined time series of cultivated cropland, abandoned cropland and yield gap estimates to assess the potential production of wheat in European Russia. Current wheat production is constrained by volatile inter-annual precipitation patterns and low applications of nitrogen fertilizers. We demonstrate that modest increases in the crop productivity and the recultivation of the recently abandoned croplands could increase wheat production by 9-32 million tons under rainfed conditions. Increases in the wheat yields, particularly within the fertile black soil belt in southern European Russia, will contribute the major share of the prospective production increases. Frequently recurring droughts, likely exacerbated by future climate change, and adverse market conditions jeopardize the exploitation of the production potentials. Improved adaptation to the volatile climate conditions and substantial institutional and political reforms in the agricultural sector are necessary to leverage the agricultural production potential of Russia.
KW - Agriculture
KW - Crop production
KW - Land abandonment
KW - Recultivation
KW - Russia
KW - Yield gap
U2 - 10.1016/j.gfs.2014.10.007
DO - 10.1016/j.gfs.2014.10.007
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:84919635679
VL - 3
SP - 133
EP - 141
JO - Global Food Security
JF - Global Food Security
SN - 2211-9124
IS - 3-4
ER -
ID: 138854819