Italy tests climate-resistant wheat in Emilia-Romagna

Researchers in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, known as the country's Food Valley, are testing new varieties of climate-resistant wheat designed to withstand the hotter, drier conditions that have marked recent summers, according to a France 24 report. The work focuses on the main ingredient of pasta, a staple of Italian cuisine and a cornerstone of the regional economy.

The trials come as Italy endures its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures in some areas approaching 40C, according to the Guardian. The extreme conditions have already disrupted agriculture across the country, with wildfires burning 70,000 hectares over the summer, as The Local Italy reported this week.

The research is being conducted amid growing concern among foreign observers about the vulnerability of Mediterranean agriculture to climate stress. The Po Valley, which stretches from Piedmont eastward through Emilia-Romagna, is a critical breadbasket for the country.