Impact of weather elements on

crop production
 1.Temperature
• Degree or amount of heat or cold
Types
• Minimum temperature
• Maximum temperature
• Optimum temperature
Cont……
• Maximum photosynthesis 37°C and stops at
45°C
• Optimum temperature for wheat is 25°C
maximum temperature 30-32°C
• Optimum temperature for maize is 32°C
• Optimum temperature for cotton is 33°C
•
 Impacts of high temperature
• Increases transpiration losses
• Desiccation of male or female part of
flower result in poor fertilization
shedding of flower
 Impact of high temperature
• Destruction of chlorophyll lot result
in pale green or yellow discoloration
• Shriveling of grain during grain
formation
 Light
• Form of energy can be
converted from one form
to another
 Impact of high light
• Important for photosynthesis
• Important for chlorophyll formation
• Promotes
1 Leaf expansion
2 stem extension
3 initiation of buds and flowers
Red , orange , yellow light in some seeds enhances germination
of seed.
 Humidity
• Moisture of air in the form of water vapour
• Water that escapes into atmosphere by
• Evaporation from soil surface
• Transpiration from plant surface
 Types of humidity
• Absolute humidity
• Actual amount of water vapors present in unit
volume of air
• Relative humidity
• %age of water vapors which the air holds at given
temperature compared with that it could hold at the
same temp. if fully saturated.
cont….
• Saturated humidity
• Maximum amount of water
vapors held by unit volume of
air.
 Humidity effect on plant
• High humidity reduce transpiration
• Low humidity increase transpiration (increase
water requirement
• High humidity poor fertilization (less
pollination)
Conti……
• High humidity reduce resistance of plant to
fungal diseases
• 15 to 22°C favor for leaf rust of wheat
 Wind
• Air approximately horizontal in motion
• Move from high pressure zone to low P. zone
• Make atmosphere cool, hot, moist or dry
• Become moist when move over large areas of
water
• Carry for precipitation
 Types
• Regular Wind: blow in regular order in specific
period e.g. monsoon
• Variable Wind: blow occasionally e.g. cyclones
• Cold and Hot Wind: blow in severe winter and
summer
 Effects
• Helps in crops pollination
• Cold wind down temp. and reduce transp.
• Hot wind promote loss of soil and moisture by
evapotranspiration
• Mature crops lodged e.g. wheat, rice
 Precipitation
• Amount of moisture falling on an area
regardless of physical form
• Forms: Rainfall, Hail storm, Snow, Frost, Dew,
Fog, Mist
 Rain fall
• In Cool air water vapours held, fall on ground
as drop
• In barani areas, rain as source of water
• High rain fall region, abundant crop growth
• Source of nitrogen
 Effects
• Cause pollen shedding
• Deficient rain limit crop growth
• Induce stagnation of water
• Heavy rain cause leaching soil nutrients
• Heavy rain reduce germination
• Rainy weather cause more vegetative growth
 Hail storm
• Rain drops pass through intensive cold region,
freeze and fall as stone or lumps of ice
• Injurious to crop because destroy standing
crop
• Upset the structure of soil
• Source of soil moisture
 Snow
• Clouds ascend to intensively cold region
where temp. below freezing point, they freeze
without passing in liquid and fall as snow
• Act as cover to prevent ETP.
• Direct inter in soil and increase soil moisture
• Melt snow use as source of water supply
 Frost
• During cold and clear nights temp. fall below
zero and excess of water vapours condense on
earth as a frozen mist of water known as frost
• Harmful to standing crops, its kill growing
points e.g. buds, eyes due to cold injury
• Its improve structure of soil
Cont….
• Enhance air circulation
• Weeds are killed, food material
which is taken up by weeds will
remain in soil and fertility remain
conserve
 Dew
• At clear night grasses, flowers and leaves
radiate heat thus their temperature becomes
lower then air. When moist air touch them,
the part of water vapour is condensed and
form as water drop which is called dew
Cont………
• Provide small proportion of the water
requirement
• Some time important for plant under deficit
condition
• Accelerate restoration of leaf turgor
• Delay onset of renewed stress in morning
 Fog
• When hot moist air comes incontact with cold
air or cold water, it is cooled and some of
water vapours condense around the floating
particles of dust in atmosphere near earth. It
is called fog
 Mist
• Identical to fog and formed in same way.
• Difference is that particle size
• Bigger and wetter of mist particle
• Harmful to crops, not allow the light to the
plant
Cont……..
• Frequent mist and fog reduce EP.
• Conserve the soil moisture
• Decrease transpiration losses
• Desert vegetation fulfill their water
requirement from fog and mist