Specialty crops – fruit, vegetables, and nuts – are the mainstay of California agriculture. California is by far the number one US producer of specialty crops both in quantity and in diversity, with a total of over 400 different crops recorded. Many of California’s specialty crops (such as almonds, artichokes, and broccoli) are grown almost nowhere else in the country.
Specialty crops face a variety of climate-related challenges. Perennials such as grapevines and nut trees represent a major investment and – unlike annual field crops – cannot be abandoned or fallowed in the event of a severe drought, storm, or heat wave. Warmer temperatures may prevent stonefruit (such as peaches and cherries) from experiencing the chill-hours needed for proper flowering. But California’s wide variety of crops and microclimates suggests a multitude of adaptation options.
The California Climate Hub works closely with researchers, extension agents, and commodity boards to identify and respond to the needs of specialty crop producers. Some of the Hub's efforts include research, assessments, and syntheses, tool development, and outreach and education. Read more about some of our efforts by following the links below.
- Research published in Plant Science reviews the effects of heat exposure on high-value specialty fruit and nut crops, and potential adaptation strategies for mitigating damages.
- A web-based story map provides an overview of California Crops Under Climate Change, outlining the potential impacts of climate change on California fruit and nut crops.
- An overview of climate change vulnerabilities of specialty crops across the state.
- A synthesis of how California specialty crop production systems can mitigate climate change through greenhouse gas sequestration and emissions reductions can be found in our white paper Identifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sources and Mitigation Opportunities in California Specialty Crop Systems.
- A comprehensive overview of specialty crops and climate change can be found in the 2013 report “Climate Change Consortium for Specialty Crops - Impacts and Strategies for Resilience”.