'Cold insurance' for crops: Researchers unlock 'on-demand' climate resilience

Rapidly intensifying global climate instability is causing increasingly erratic temperature fluctuations. When sudden cold snaps strike during a crop's critical flowering window, they trigger irreversible pollen abortion, slashing yields of staple crops by 20% to 60%. Passive defenses offer minimal protection at a high cost, while breeding for continuous cold resistance often backfires by wasting vital energy under normal temperatures. Shifting the breeding paradigm toward "on-demand" climate resilience—maintaining high yields in favorable seasons while securing stable performance under stress—is critical.