Benedict T. Palen, Jr - What Are The Damaging Effects Of Wind On Crop Production?

 Plant growth is inhibited by wind speed that is more than 10 km per hour. This is how wind can cause the maximum of damage relating to rain at that particular time of flowering and growth of the plant.

Effects of wind on crop production

1.      Strong wind can develop xerophytic character and increase the chance of the root uprooting

2.      When crops have long exposure to strong winds, it can lead to morphological change

3.      When growing plants are exposed to hot winds for a long time, it results in dwarfing due to the problem of reduced growth and plant tissue

4.      Wind can increase the water required by the crop and also increase evapotranspiration. It is mainly due to the removal of the accumulated air near the leaves

5.      Calm the moderate air and the dew deposition due to under soil moisture stress

6.      Moderate winds can impact pollination. Heavy wind during flowering  can reduce the chance of pollination, reduce fruit set and increase sterility

7.      If wind speed is more than 50 km per hour, it will lead to crop lodging and often heavy loss

However, Benedict T Palen Jr. suggests that a winnowing operation requires a minimum of 15km per hour. Go by experts’ advice to find the best ways to protect crop production from damage wind effects.

The soil and the sand particles blown by the wind will strike the leaves. It can impact other plant parts such as punctures, lesions, and abrasions and can tear the leaves into strips and pieces. It will be well marked in sugarcane, maize, and banana, mainly during summer. This is one of the reasons why bananas, drumsticks, and papaya will not survive in a village near the seashore. It is mainly due to the high wind velocity that the plants there become vulnerable, the tissues break, leading to uprooting problems. 

Wind influencing impact can be of two types

It can be mechanical impact and physiological impact:

Physiological impact

·         It increases cuticular transpiration than the stomatal transpiration

·         The hot wind accelerates the drying of plants by replacing the humid air

·         Wind can increase the turbulence in the atmosphere along with the availability of CO2, and it can increase photosynthesis

·         Beyond certain wind speed, photosynthesis tends to become constant

Mechanical impact on plants

1.      Lodging

2.      Flower and fruit shedding

3.      A strong wind will damage the shoots

4.      Can cause soil erosion

5.      Crop and trees having shallow roots get uprooted

6.      Cold wind can result in chilling injuries

7.      Soil deposition can cause poor aeration in the root zone

This is where you should go by the advice of experts like Benedict T Palen Jr., who has been into agricultural activities for years. The changes will depend on the local climate. This is where you can take helpful advice from a specialist who can help correct plant growth and protect it from strong winds. Follow the correct rules for relevant results.