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What is the number one determinant of a growing season’s outcome? Ask any farmer around the world and you will get a surprisingly consistent answer – the weather.
Each year, weather patterns can bring benefits or unexpected obstacles to farmers, and they must be ready to pivot to protect their yield potential and produce the nutritious food the world relies on.
The conversation around weather seems to have become increasingly important as changing climate patterns seem to be on the rise. Prolonged periods of extreme heat and drought, more intense storms, and new pest migrations due to changing temperature zones bring new challenges that farmers must contend with.
Crop Heat Stress and Drought Results in Yield Loss
Farmers around the world have had to contend with prolonged, record-breaking hot and dry conditions in recent years. These extreme temperatures greatly impact farmers and lead to yield loss. The negative effects of heat stress on crops and harvest potential are universal because stressed plants cannot effectively utilize nutrients and properly grow. This is largely due to the impact heat has on Cytokinin, an important hormone for plant development and is highly sensitive to high temperatures. In grain crops such as maize, cytokinin begins breaking down approximately 29°C. Cytokinin breakdown due to extended periods of extreme is one of many ways crop heat stress is reducing the amount of end-of-year yield from yield potential, also known as the yield gap. Farmers must work to understand the agronomic elements impacting their crops during key parts of their growing seasons to protect their bottom line.
Boosting Crop Resilience Against Heat Stress
By understanding how heat stress can impact yield outcomes, farmers can proactively get ahead of these changing weather patterns and adopt new technologies to help boost the resilience of their crops. Incorporating biological tools can help support crop health and improve overall nutrient and water use efficiency.
Want to learn more about how to help crops build resilience to heat stress? Contact Drew van Coller, our National Sales Manager at drew.vancoller@corteva.com or at +27 (0) 63 685 7482 for more information on how biologicals can support your farming success.
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