Climate-induced challenges in fruit crop production and adaptive management strategies: A review

Climate change and agriculture are closely interlinked, with changing climatic conditions emerging as a significant source of abiotic and biotic stresses that threaten sustainable fruit production. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, rising global temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increasing greenhouse gas concentrations are accelerating environmental variability, particularly in vulnerable regions such as the Indian subcontinent. Climate plays a decisive role in determining the distribution, phenology, productivity, and quality of perennial fruit crops, as well as the incidence of pests and diseases. Variations in temperature and rainfall directly influence physiological processes including photosynthesis, respiration, flowering, pollination and fruit development. Warmer winters reduce chilling accumulation in temperate fruits, resulting in irregular bud break and poor fruit set, while heat stress in tropical fruits accelerates phenological stages and shortens effective reproductive periods. Climate change also alters area suitability for several fruit crops by shifting agro-climatic zones, thereby affecting regional production systems. In addition, increased frequency of extreme weather events intensifies pest and disease pressure and disrupts plant-pollinator interactions, leading to unstable yields and reduced fruit quality. Although elevated atmospheric CO₂ may enhance photosynthesis and water-use efficiency under certain conditions, these benefits are often offset by heat and moisture stress. Sustainable fruit production under changing climates therefore requires integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies, including conservation of genetic resources, development of climate-resilient cultivars and rootstocks, improved orchard microclimate management and soil carbon enhancement. Understanding the complex interactions between climate variables and fruit crop physiology is essential for ensuring long-term productivity and food security.