Climatic Factors (weather elements)

Climatic Factors influencing Agricultural Production

1. Rainfall,
2. Temperature,
3. Wind,
4. Relative humidity
5. Light.

Weather
Atmospheric conditions of a place at a given time period.
Climate
Weather conditions of a place observed and recorded for a period of 30-40 years.

​Rainfall

​Supplies Water:

• Which is necessary for the life process in plants and animals.
• Which makes the plant turgid hence provides support.
• Acts as a solvent for plant nutrients.
• Cools the plant during transpiration.
• Which is used as a raw material in photosynthesis.

When plants lack enough water they respond in different ways as follows:

• By closing the stomata to restrict water loss.
• Hastens maturity.
• Some will roll their leaves.

Other plants have developed permanent adaptation to water stress such as:

• Growing needle like leaves.
• Develop fleshy leaves for water storage.
• Develop long roots.
• Wilting and death in extreme conditions.

​Important Aspects of Rainfall:

• Rainfall reliability;
  This is the dependency on the timing of the onset of the rains.
• Amount of rainfall;
  Quantity of rain that falls in a given area within a given year.
• Rainfall distribution;
  The number of wet months in a year.
• Rainfall intensity;
  ​Amount of rainfall that falls in an area within a period of 1 hour.

​Temperature

This is the degree of hotness or coldness of a place measured in degrees Celsius.
Cardinal range of temperature is the temperature required by plant to grow and thrive well.
Optimum range of temperatures - the best temperature for the best performance of plants.

​Effects of Temperatures on Crop Production:

Low temperatures:

• Slow the growth rate of crops due to slowed photosynthesis and respiration.
• High incidences of disease infection.
• Improves quality of crops such as tea and pyrethrum.

High Temperatures

• Increase evaporation rate leading to
• Wilting.
• Hastens the maturity of crops.
• Increase disease and pest infection.
• Improves quality of crops such as pineapples, oranges and pawpaws.

​Wind

Wind is moving air.
Good effects of wind include:

• Seed dispersal
• Cooling of land
• Pollination in crops
• Brings rain bearing clouds

Negative effects of wind:

• Increases the rate of evaporation of water.
• Causes lodging of cereals and distorts perennial crops.
• Increases evapo-transpiration.
• Spreads diseases and pests.
• Destroys farm structures.

​Relative humidity

​This is the amount of water vapour in the air

• Affects the rate of evapo-transpiration.
• Forms dew which supplies soil with moisture under dry conditions.
• High humidity induce rooting in cuttings.
• Increases disease multiplication and spread.

​Light

Provide radiant energy harnessed by green plant for photosynthesis.
Important aspects of light:
Light intensity;
The strength with which light is harnessed by chlorophyll for photosynthesis.
Light duration;
This is the period during which light is available to plants per day.

• Plant response to light duration is known as photoperiodism.
• Short-day plants, require less than 12 hours of daylight to flower and seed.
• Long-day plants - require more than 12 hours of daylight to flower and seed.
• Day-neutral plants require 12 hours of daylight to flower and seed.

Light wavelength;
This is the distance between two - successive crests of a wavelength.

• It dictates the difference between natural and artificial light.
• Chlorophyll absorbs certain wavelengths of light.

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