Future Wheat Yield Variabilities and Water Footprints Based on the Yield Sensitivity to Past Climate Conditions

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  • This article analyzed the wheat yield variabilities and water footprints under projected future climate based on wheat yield sensitivity to past (1980-2017) trends of maximum temperature (T-max), minimum temperature (T-min), solar radiation (R-n) and rainfall (P) for the semi-arid condition of Punjab, Pakistan. The past and projected future trends of the climate variables were identical featuring prominent T-min rise than T-max accompanied by R-n and P declines. Based on the past influences and the projected future trends of the climate variables, T-min was the principal driver of wheat yield decline followed by the T-max, P and R-n. Wheat evapotranspiration and net irrigation water requirement declined due to the influence of both decrease of growing season length and R-n for the first half of 21st-century, and this trend reversed during the second half of 21st-century. These phenomena were caused by different degree of climate warming between the two-time slices. Due to future wheat yield decline and a gradual rise in green water scarcity the blue and grey water footprints rise consistently particularly during 2nd-time slices. CO2 enrichment showed limited mitigation potential of nullifying the warming-induced threats on future wheat yield and water footprints.