While abiotic stress which relates to natural factors like soil, climate etc. is difficult to change and manage, it is the types of policies adopted which can make the difference between success and failure. I would like to know what support the social scientists can offer and how. I also would like to know about the various tools and techniques which social scientists can use to help reduce the abiotic stress in aid of the crop/ animal scientists.
I think policies are national issues, that are best determined and formulated by the government of each country. It is good that agricultural programmes are driven by good policies, including that which addresses ábiotic stress'; but this could only be if it is in the government's priority. We should therefore challenge the government(s) to allow policy makers/scientists identify and recommend what policy issues will provide necessary pedestal for agricultural development within and across countries/continents of the world.
Dear Kehinde Oyekale: My question is meant to find the right answers to the types of policies researchers would like to suggest for the policy makers to take appropriate decisions. And further to arrive at the relevant policies, what tools and techniques are needed by the researchers, particularly the social scientists.
I think they can help in explain the new cultivars for different crops and as policy maker they can suggest that this variety is good under abiotic conditions also, they can recommend some cultivars for other non-stress conditions. They can organize different meetings as policy with the farmer and policy maker to explain that. I mean communication with the researcher and farmer to transfer the package of recomendations
Dear Khaled Salem, thank you for your answer, I would be interested to know about the research questions a social scientist would like to take up, so far as policy issues are concerned wrt abiotic stresses.
Dear Sir, As you mentioned and know that abiotic stress means crop is facing various stresses from land, water, climate etc. In ICAR research is going on on theses aspects in different institutions. In my opinion social scientists may conduct or under take FLDs (Field Level Demonstrations) on these developed technologies and assess them for abiotic stress condition and recommend back to scientists to changes if any required those particular site specific. Thus they can play a big role in dissemination of technologies and the real impact of these technologies could be harvested. Thanks
Dear K.M. Singh,
This is a kind of question for which to find the right answer is difficult but to implement real changes is much more complicated. I think one should generally improve biological and ecological studies in order to recognise the scientific rules and connections causing and influencing abiotic stress. Regarding agricultural crops, plant breeding for tolerance to abiotic factors may play a role thus a research supporting policy is essential.
I do not think social scientist could help to improve management of this policy. In most cases there are but very weak endeavours because policy makers are ignorant in this field.
Abiotic stresses affect the biosynthesis, concentration, transport, and storage of primary and secondary metabolites. Metabolic adjustments in response to abiotic stressors involve fine adjustments in amino acid, carbohydrate, and amine metabolic pathways. Proper activation of early metabolic responses helps cells restore chemical and energetic imbalances imposed by the stress and is crucial to acclimation and survival. Time-series experiments have revealed that metabolic activities respond to stress more quickly than transcriptional activities do.
http://www.intechopen.com/books/abiotic-stress-plant-responses-and-applications-in-agriculture/abiotic-stress-in-plants-and-metabolic-responses
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