Environmental factors affecting Agricultural Production - SS2 Agriculture Past Questions and Answers - page 2

Farmers can employ various strategies to cope with inadequate rainfall:

Implement efficient irrigation systems to provide water directly to crops.

Choose drought-resistant crop varieties.

Practice rainwater harvesting to store water during periods of excess rainfall for later use.

Adopt conservation tillage and mulching techniques to reduce water evaporation from the soil.

Monitor weather forecasts and adjust planting schedules accordingly.

Heat stress occurs when plants are exposed to excessively high temperatures, which can damage or inhibit their growth. Effects of heat stress on crop production include:

Reduced photosynthesis and lower crop yields.

Increased susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Premature flowering and fruit drop.

Altered crop quality, with lower nutritional value.

To mitigate heat stress, farmers can provide shade, employ heat-tolerant crop varieties, and adapt irrigation practices.

To mitigate wind damage in agriculture, farmers can:

Plant windbreaks like hedges, trees, or tall grasses to shield crops.

Use wind-resistant crop varieties.

Stake or trellis tall crops to prevent them from bending or breaking.

Implement proper soil management practices to prevent soil erosion.

Monitor weather forecasts and take precautions during windy periods.

Seasonal variations in daylight impact the growth and development of crops. Longer daylight hours during the growing season promote photosynthesis and crop growth. Shorter daylight hours trigger the initiation of flowering and fruiting in many plants. Farmers use this knowledge to determine the best times for planting and harvesting specific crops, ensuring optimal yield and quality.

Climate change is altering environmental factors critical to agriculture. It leads to more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns, including droughts, floods, heatwaves, and storms. These changes can disrupt planting and harvesting schedules, damage crops, and affect crop yields. Additionally, shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns can force farmers to adapt by changing crop varieties, adjusting irrigation practices, and adopting climate-resilient farming techniques to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.