Moroccan Durum Wheat Breeding to Keep Pace with Climate Change

MoroccoMorocco is considered one of the most threatened countries by climate variation. Over the last decades, Arable land in this country showed a vulnerability to climate changeClimate change, which has led to a water deficit, a rise in land salinity, and therefore, a decrease in crop production. In MoroccoMorocco, the majority of durum wheatDurum wheat areas are located in the rainfed zones, with 50% in the arid and semi-arid regions. It is cultivated in an area of more than one million hectares ranking third after bread wheat and barley. Consequently, extended and severe droughts occurring in the rainy season can lead to significant impactsImpacts on both crop yields and agricultural income. Durum wheatDurum wheat yields in MoroccoMorocco remained low at about 0.9 tons ha−1 until the 1970s. With the introduction of improved genotypes, significant increases in yields were observed. However, these grain yield levels are far below both the global world African average. Research findings indicated that, in optimal conditions, the production of durum wheatDurum wheat in MoroccoMorocco exhibited a positive correlation with the release year of the variety. However, no notable trend was observed in water-limited environments. Hence, when breeders conduct comparable experiments, it is crucial to carefully consider the environmental conditions.