Developing drought-tolerant crops is an important strategy to mitigate climate change impacts. Modulating root system function provides opportunities to improve crop yield under biotic and abiotic stresses. With this aim, a commercial hybrid tomato variety was grafted on a genotyped population of 123 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from Solanum pimpinellifolium, and compared with self- and non-grafted controls, under contrasting watering treatments (100% vs. 70% of crop evapotranspiration). Drought tolerance was genetically analyzed for vegetative and flowering traits, and root xylem sap phytohormone and nutrient composition. Under water deficit, around 25% of RILs conferred larger total shoot dry weight than controls. Reproductive and vegetative traits under water deficit were highly and positively correlated to the shoot water content. This association was genetically supported by linkage of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling these traits within four genomic regions. From a total of 83 significant QTLs, most were irrigation-regime specific. The gene contents of 8 out of 12 genomic regions containing 46 QTLs were found significantly enriched at certain GO terms and some candidate genes from diverse gene families were identified. Thus, grafting commercial varieties onto selected rootstocks derived from S. pimpinellifolium provides a viable strategy to enhance drought tolerance in tomato.

The most pressing concern of the century is food security, mostly supported by irrigated agriculture. In this respect, studies on water stress have drawn increased attention with a highlighting expectation foreseen via our breeding efforts documented in this study concerning the significant commercial strawberry cultivars ‘Rubygem’, ‘Sabrina’ and ‘Festival’ along with some selected superior bred lines (‘33’, ‘36’, ‘59’, ‘61’ and ‘112’). Plants cultivated in the Spanish-type high tunnel were exposed to both full (IR100) and deficit irrigation (IR50) in the Mediterranean part of Türkiye. Fruit yield as well as certain critical morphological and physiological parameters were examined throughout the active harvest period. This study found that the parameters relating to the vegetative components, as well as the fruit weight and yield, drastically dropped when plants were subjected to deficit irrigation. Therefore, depending on the limited irrigation, as a result of the closure of stomata, it was concluded that the amount of water and stomatal conductance of the plant is associated with a decrease. IR50 was found to have less impact on low-yield genotypes than on high-yield genotypes. Photosynthetic activity and stomatal conductivity were high in the ‘33’ bred line with a high yield. On the other hand, photosynthesis activity and leaf water potential (LWP) values were relatively low in the ‘36’ bred line with low yield. The study proved that variables like photosynthetic activity, stomatal conductance, and LWP could be used as markers for high yield genotype selection.

This study employs the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Projects (CMIPs) and the Sixth phase of CMIPs (CMIP6) to unravel the multifaceted impacts of global climate change on climate of Türkiye. The CMIP6 data, fundamental to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports, forms the basis for projecting future climate scenarios, specifically under the medium-high reference scenario SSP3-7. Utilizing a suite of global climate models, including the innovative Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) approach, this study combines predictions to enhance the precision climate projections of Türkiye. Historical data spanning from 1951 to 2020 were subjected to rigorous statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The findings reveal an unequivocal upward trajectory in Türkiye’s annual mean temperature, with an accelerated pace in recent decades. Despite a lack of a significant long-term trend in annual precipitation from 1951 to 2020, the rate of change in precipitation is accelerating, indicating potential future challenges. Projections for 2040-2059 under the SSP3-7.0 scenario indicate a non-uniform increase in mean temperature across Türkiye, with the southern and western regions facing the most significant impact. This warming trend poses imminent threats to agriculture, altering crop yields and increasing the risk of heat stress for livestock. Additionally, the projected decrease in precipitation, alongside a surge in hot days and tropical nights, underscores the urgency for adaptive measures. As Türkiye navigates the complex terrain of climate change, this study provides valuable insights, emphasizing the significance of robust climate modeling for informed decision-making. The results underscore the imminent challenges Türkiye faces and emphasize the critical importance of proactive climate action on both national and global fronts.

Two different irrigations (full irrigation (FI) and 50% deficit irrigation (WS)) and fertilizations (G0 (not applied), G1 (only bottom fertilizer applied), G2 (only chemical fertilizer applied), G3 (bottom fertilizer and animal manure combined), and G4 (which is designed to apply the bottom fertilizer and chemical fertilizer combined)) were assessed in this study, which was carried out between autumn 2020–2021 with the aim of optimal water and nutrient use in cucumber cultivation in a greenhouse. These treatments were examined for their impacts on fruit quality (fruit weight, length, volume, and the total number of fruits), yield, leaf area (LA), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), physiological aspects (net photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductivity (gs), leaf water potential (Ψl), and nutrient content (nitrogen (N) and potassium (K)). The smart irrigation system that sensed soil moisture and strategically utilized water ensured effective application of a fertilization mechanism that improved crop quality. The FI treatment significantly increased the fruit quality parameters LA, Pn, gs, and Ψl compared to other treatments, especially when it was combined with the G3 fertilization scheme. The FI treatment also significantly increased fruit yield by 28.3% compared to WS. Additionally, the smart irrigation system saved 20.6% more water under deficit irrigation (WS) and 9.1% more water under full irrigation (FI) compared to Et-based system. Optimally combined strategic fertilization and smart irrigation significantly changed key metrics in growth and development. The results pointed out that technology-driven systems integrated with real-time irrigation data-informed systems are crucial. This work advances sustainable agricultural practices through the integration of effective water management with optimal fertilization. Its findings have significant implications for water-scarce regions, providing a blueprint to improve agricultural productivity while maintaining critical resources.