IMPACT OF CLIMATE-RESILIENT CROP VARIETIES ON YIELD STABILITY AND SOIL HEALTH IN SEMI-ARID FARMING SYSTEMS

Abstract

Semi-arid agricultural regions face increasing climate variability, frequent droughts, and declining soil fertility. Climate-resilient crop varieties have emerged as an adaptive strategy to stabilize yields and improve soil health under stressful environmental conditions. This study examines the performance of drought-resistant sorghum, millet, and chickpea varieties across three semi-arid sites in Spain between 2021 and 2023. Key parameters evaluated include soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), water-use efficiency (WUE), and yield stability index (YSI). Results indicate that climate-resilient varieties improved SOC by 12–19%, enhanced MBC by 15–30%, and maintained yield stability above 0.85 across all sites. The findings demonstrate that stress-tolerant crop varieties not only secure food production under climate extremes but also support long-term soil ecological functioning.