What causes decreased agricultural production and how does global warming affect crop production and rise in temperature lead to longer growing seasons?
Rk Naresh
Decreased agricultural production is caused by a combination of factors, many of which are exacerbated by global warming. Key causes include extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms, which can devastate crops and erode fertile soil. Changes in precipitation patterns, with some regions experiencing reduced rainfall and others facing excessive moisture, disrupt the water supply critical for crop growth. Soil degradation, resulting from intensive farming practices, deforestation, and erosion, reduces the land's fertility and its ability to support crops. Pests and diseases also pose significant threats to agricultural productivity; warmer temperatures and changing climates can expand the habitats of many pests and pathogens, leading to increased infestations and crop damage. Global warming further affects crop production by increasing average temperatures, which can stress plants, reduce yields, and lower the quality of produce. For instance, higher temperatures can accelerate crop development, leading to premature maturation and lower yields. However, rising temperatures can also extend growing seasons in some regions, providing a longer period for crops to grow. This can be beneficial in temperate zones where longer growing seasons might increase the number of harvests per year. Nevertheless, the benefits of longer growing seasons can be offset by the greater prevalence of heat stress, water shortages, and the higher energy demands for irrigation and cooling in warmer climates. Consequently, while global warming can lead to longer growing seasons in certain areas, its overall impact on agricultural production is complex and often detrimental, necessitating adaptive measures to sustain crop yields and ensure food security.
In the pollination of many crop species temperature can limit the reproduction fertility through reduction in pollen production and its viability.
Oats Avena sativa is a cool season small grain. It is highly nutritious comaped to some other grain crops making it well positioned for food and feed uses.
When hot periods come at the flowering period the pollen will abort and the fertilization of the would be seed is prevented causing the blast condition.
The global warming now is 1.5 C from our elevated greenhouse gases and this is sufficient to compromise many cropping opportunities.
The change of crops and the breeding for heat tolerance will be some of ways to adapt to this changed reality.
In addition charcoal rot which affects many crops such as maize and soybeans is accentuated under heat and drought stresses the losses of these diseases can be more important under our changed environment.
Malaria a tropical disease which is spread by mosquitos is debilitating for inflicted producting communities as the warmer temperatres prevail the zones which can be affected increase
These are just a few fo many issues the climate change is bringing to the fore.
Low or absence of agribusiness training among most farmers with a subsistence mindset.
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