Climate-Resistant Wheat Trials Could Reshape Tuscan Pasta

In Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, the heart of the country's 'Food Valley', researchers are working on the pasta of the future by focusing on its main ingredient: wheat, according to a France 24 report. The work comes as Italy endures a fourth summer heatwave that has placed all 27 major cities under the highest red alert, with temperatures edging close to 40C in some areas.

The France 24 report highlights how technology is being used to improve the iconic Italian dish, with scientists developing climate-resistant strains of wheat that can withstand the increasingly brutal summer conditions. The research is driven by the recognition that Italy's agricultural heartland — which produces much of the durum wheat used for pasta — is on the front line of climate change.

For Tuscany, the implications are direct. While the region is better known for its olive oil and wine, Tuscan farmers also cultivate wheat, and the region's pasta-making traditions — from pici in the south to fresh egg pasta in the north — depend on a reliable supply of quality grain. A breakthrough in climate-resistant wheat could help secure that supply, but it also raises questions about how the region's smallholders will access and afford the new seeds.