This year's record-breaking heat and lack of rainfall has left many farmers with their worst arable yields in decades.

Andrew Lovett, a professor of geography in the UEA's School of Environmental Sciences, is working on projects to analyse the suitability of potential alternative crops.

He said farmers should first deploy practical measures to improve soil moisture levels, organic matter and water storage infrastructure, before thinking further ahead about which crops might be better suited to dry, hot conditions.

While peas and spring beans need a temperate climate and rainfall between April and June, more drought-tolerant protein crops such as chickpeas and grass peas could potentially become "more feasible" in the next 10 years, he said.

And while vineyards are already becoming popular in East Anglia, durum wheat or olives could eventually also become viable if the climate continues to warm in the future.

Andrew Lovett is a professor of geography in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA) (Image: UEA)

"There's no magic bullet answer," said Prof Lovett.

"I'm doing some analysis of other protein crops - grass pea, soya bean, lentil, chickpea, and so forth. I have heard of examples of people in........

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