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Devastating drought threatening major crops, including corn, coffee, cocoa and sugar, and sending commodity prices soaring

It is hoped that that the new semi-dwarf wheat may soon be grown in fields across the globe following an exciting discovery.

Scientists in Scotland have identified the gene in barley which is responsible for drought resistance, which could help the Scotch whisky and wider cereals industry respond to climate change.

Kellogg’s has jacked up the price of its breakfast cereals due to the biggest dry spell in over a century sweeping across the country.

Australia’s position as one of the world’s most important grain producers has dwindled away following years of drought and flagging exports that have put wheat in a slump.

Drought damages wheat in late stages of development, dwarf cereals winning the battle against fusarium crown rot, and nitrogen application lowers phenol concentrations.

The University of Florida will further research to develop drought resistant peanuts – a big need for industry in light of extreme weather conditions, its lead crop physiologist says.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is predicting substantial food price increases in 2013, if not sooner, due to the ongoing drought now affecting more than half of all US farmland.

California provides 83% of the world’s almonds, but drought is affecting supply. FoodNavigator spoke to the Almond Board of California about how the industry is tackling water shortages – and why so much of the world is reliant on Californian almonds.

Natural and organic products giant Hain Celestial says it expects to “see pricing actions across the industry based on the California drought”.

With wheat exports to North Africa tipped to increase this year, UK businesses have been raising awareness of the properties of locally grown flour to overseas bakers.

Prolonged drought in northern Europe has already capped yields of cereals and sugar beet and, without significant rainfall over the next two months, could significantly boost prices, warn analysts.

Bio-inoculants impact on agricultural production through improved phosphorus acquisition, novel means of monitoring drought from multi-source satellite data, and looking at diversity and heat treatment resistance of sorghum.

France’s driest spring in 50 years is likely to have a heavy impact on its wheat harvest and could drive up global wheat prices, according to French agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire.

Scientists from the University of Bonn in Germany claim to have identified a gene which makes plants more resistant to a shortage of water.

Mineral imbalance in African soil lowers yields, drought effects reduced with wheat dwarfing gene, sprouting wheat boosts antioxidant capacity and building aphid resistance in food crops.

Sorghum is an ancient grain whose natural genetic diversity leaves it well positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, experts say.

Australia's dairy industry may see export earnings drop by more than 24 per cent to under A$2 billion (€1.2bn) in 2006-07 because of drought, potentially causing global prices to rise.

This year's total EU cereal harvest remains in line with the last five years, though droughts continue to put pressure on prices.

BASF's plant science unit will spend US$17 million on a new Australian research project to investigate drought-resistant wheat varieties, it said today.