In some areas of the world, the nutrients are in short supply, resulting in lower crop yields.
The assessment said pollinator declines could lead to lower crop yields, raising prices for consumers and reducing agricultural profits.
The plant can severely deplete soil nitrogen levels in agricultural fields, leading to lower crop yields and even crop losses in areas with heavy infestation.
Farm experts say that such efforts could lead to higher food prices, lower crop yields, rising farm costs and more pollution of land and water.
The cost of organic conversion and lower crop yields than regular cotton (at least in the early years after a switch) have quelled farmers' interest.
They also lower crop yields.But excellent as this is, the world's soaring carbon dioxide emissions remain the elephant in the atmosphere.
That can mean everything from protecting low-lying islands and coastal settlements from the impact of rising sea levels to helping farmers struggling with lower crop yields caused by the weather effects of climate change.
Previous studies had used experimental data looking at the impacts of ozone on plants to extrapolate potential losses, but this is the first ever study to use actual historical agricultural and emissions data to account for lower crop yields.
And in some regions with dramatic demographic increases, like sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, climate change is threatening to lower crop yields at precisely the time that more staple foods urgently need to be produced.
"In sub-Saharan Africa we're likely to see increased incidence of drought, lower crop yields and food price spikes in years to come, adding to pressures on communities that are already living with other stresses and where population is increasing," saysRichard Black, director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence think tank.
