CROP PRODUCTION UNDER COLD STRESS
| January 25, 2024In the context of climate change, the magnitude and frequency of temperature extremes (low and high temperatures) are increasing worldwide.
Changes to the lower extremes of temperature, known as cold stress (CS), are one of the recurrent stressors in many parts of the world, severely limiting agricultural production
Generally, Cold stress is perceived as the range below an optimum temperature which is sufficient to stop plant growth.
The extent of the effects of cold stress on crops depends on several factors such as plant origin (temperate or tropical), plant species, growth stage (vegetative stage and/or reproductive stage).
However, cold stress mainly disrupts the critical processes involved in growth and development, including seed germination, seedling vigor and establishment, along with deficiencies in the uptake of water and minerals nutrients, and decreased photosynthetic capacity.
Moreover, cold stress induces severe damage to yield formation in crop plants which initially starts with impairments of the reproductive phase as characterized by the production of sterile pollen, aborted ovules, and undersized grains and hence reduced final yields
HOW DOES PLANT RESPOND TO COLD STRESS
Plant responds to cold stress by reducing chlorophyll accumulation, reduced sensitivity of photosynthesis because the chloroplast and photosynthesis are the major site for cold injury, and at critical stages of the plants, pollen fertility is affected as well as the seed germination and seed set
In other to improve cold tolerance by plants, it therefore means that nutrition and processes that encourages chloropyll accumulation, increased photosynthesis, improved and strengthen the cell wall of the plant against cold stress should be encouraged and we would recommend one of our special Product