UNEP Frontiers 2016 Report - Chapter 5

Extreme climatic conditions reduce crop yields and increase postharvest losses. They also trigger biophysical responses in plants to environmental stress. These responses include the accumulation of chemical compounds that are harmful to animal and human health. Despite the various protective mechanisms plants possess, prolonged exposure to unfavourable conditions can overwhelm their ability to survive and thrive, further weakening them and increasing their susceptibility to disease. Under such conditions, either the plants themselves or invading microorganisms may produce specific chemical compounds at concentrations that are toxic to human health. Full report is available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/7664