Climatic Factors Affecting Agricultural Production

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Table Of Contents

The Climatic Factors Affecting Agricultural Production include:

Rainfall

Definition: Rainfall is defined as the release of excess condensed water vapour in the atmosphere into the earth.

It determines the distribution of crops and animals.
It is necessary for seed germination.
Excessive rainfall leads to leaching of nutrients and causes soil erosion.
It helps to dissolve nutrients in the soil, thereby making the nutrients available to Crops.
It determines the type of vegetation of an area.
It determines the seasons in Nigeria, e.g, rainy and dry season.
It determines the vegetation types in Nigeria, e.g, Savannah in the North and forest in the south.
The seasons also determine when crops will be planted.
Vegetation types in turn determine the types of livestock that can be raised in the different ecological zones.
Insufficient rainfall causes crop failure and poor yield.

Ways in which high Rainfall affect Agricultural Production

High rainfall prolongs the cropping season.
It increases the problem of plant diseases.
It determines the types of crops to be grown.
It increases the incidence of erosion or flooding.
It encourages thick forestation, thus increasing the incidence of pests, e.g, tsetse flies infestation.
It encourages the growth of diseases causing organisms (pathogens).
It increases leaching of plant nutrients or soil acidity.
It causes water logging in clay soil.
It determines the types of crop or livestock grown or reared, i.e distribution of crops and animals.
It encourages faster or rapid growth of weeds.

Drought

Definition: This is defined as lack of or insufficient rainfall in an area.

Effect of drought on plant growth and development

Delay in flowering/reduction in flowers/flowers abortion.
Poor crop establishment.
It leads to a reduction in leaf area.
There is a reduction in cell size and inter-cellular volume.
Several physiological processes may decreases due to the dehydration of protoplasm.
Water stress produces important changes in carbohydrates and nitrogen metabolism of plants.
There is a decrease in the production of green matter
There is a reduction in photosynthesis.
It impairs desired quality, that is, appearance, fiber content, firmness etc.
There is reduction in yield.
Wilting.
Possible death of plants/crops failure.
Lower resistance/prone to diseases.
Difficulty in pegging, especially in groundnut.

Temperature

Definition: Temperature is defined as the degree of hotness or coldness of a place.

Effect of temperature on Agricultural Production

Temperature is necessary for germination of seeds.
It also affects the distribution of crops and animals.
Too hot or too cold temperature does not favour plants and animals growth.
Unfavorable temperature may result in seed dormancy.
High temperature affect evapo-transpiration, and reduces the performance of livestock.
It affect the wilting of field crops, ripening and maturity of crops.
Temperature affect microbial activities in relation to mineralization of organic matters.
High temperature leads to loss of soil nutrients through volatilization.
High temperature may be harmful by causing premature dropping of fruits and sudden death of livestock, e.g, heat stress in poultry.
High temperature reduces the performance of livestock.

Wind

Definition: Wind is defined as air in motion.

Effect of wind in agricultural production

High wind velocity may cause wind erosion.
It aid seeds and fruits dispersal.
It can aid pollination and spread of diseases.
It helps in the distribution of rainfall and changes in seasons, e.g, rainy and dry seasons.
High wind velocity causes damage to crops. e.g, lodging.
It determines seasons in Nigeria. For example, South west trade wind brings rain while North East trade wind brings harmattan or dry season.
Wind affect evapo-transpiration.
Wind can cause serious damage to crops in form of lodging, e.g, wind storm.

Sunlight/Sunshine

Definition: Sunshine is the amount of heat and the period the sun’s rays are received at a place.

Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis.
It affects evapo-transpiration.
It affects the productivity of crops due to length of dates, i.e, photoperiodism. In other words, light divides plants into three photo periods.
(a) Long day plants: These plants require longer daylight of between 13 to 15 hours of sunlight, e.g, millet, sorghum (Guinea corn).
(b) Short Day plants: These plants require shorter daylight period of between 8 to 10 hours of sunlight, e.g, cocoa, kola and oil palm.
(c) Day-neutra plants: These plant require equal period of day and night; that is, about 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness, e.g, tomato.
Light affects the rising and roosting of animals.
It affects the rate of production in poultry.
It determines the productivity of cultivated crops.

Relative Humidity

Definition: Relative humidity is defined as the amount of moisture in the atmosphere.

It results in the formation of rain.
It affects the performance of crops and animals.
High humidity in poultry houses causes mouldiness of feed and litters.
Low humidity causes aridity or dryness.
It determines the types of crops grown in an area.
Low humidity leads to heat stress in animals. example, cattle, poultry, pig.
It determines the type of crops grown in an area, example; wheat in the North during harmattan.
It affects the growth rate of crops. For instance, cocoa will not grow well under low relative humidity.
High relative humidity affect food intake and productivity of farm animals.
Relative humidity determines the type of pests prevalent in an area.
High relative humidity favors the growth of disease pathogens.

Solar Radiation

Definition: Solar radiation is the amount of heat or sun rays radiated to the atmosphere.

Effect of Solar Radiation in Agricultural Production

High intensity of radiation causes heat stress in animals, and this reduces their growth rate, production and reproduction.
It increases the cost of production because shade has to be provided to protect animals and some crops from direct rays of the sun.
Solar radiation assist photosynthesis in crops.
Solar radiation assist in drying of crops
Solar radiation is a source of farm power.

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