Farmers Urged to Reduce Crop Stress Amid Extreme Heat

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is encouraging farmers to take steps to manage stress on crops due to current extreme heat and drought conditions.

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer, Francine Webb, said increased effort must be made to boost irrigation and moisture retention in the soil where possible.

She recommended mulching to aid water retention in the soil, providing shade, pest management, and watering during cool parts of the day (dawn and dusk).

The current conditions, caused by the El Niño phenomenon, are expected to persist through February 2027.

“What makes this worse is that the temperature is so very high. So, we’re not getting the level of rainfall that we are anticipating and the temperature is high. So, we have warmer days and what is of particular concern for me is these very warm nights,” Ms. Webb said.

She explained that nighttime typically serves as a recovery period for crops to recharge after daytime stress but noted that the persistently high overnight temperatures deprive plants of this essential rest.

“So, the plants can’t cool down through transpiration at night as they usually do,” she pointed out.

She noted that the prolonged heat can result in stunted growth as plants use their internal mechanisms to preserve moisture.

“So, we’re talking about another, six to eight months’ challenge right now. The plants have these stomata… pores in the leaves. Now, when it’s very hot in the days, the plants will close them in order to preserve the water. This process stops photosynthesis because you don’t have the carbon dioxide being taken up,” she explained.

“That unavailability of CO2 slows down the photosynthesis process and affects the plants’ production. So, at night, the plants are supposed to now reopen the stomata, cool down, recover and when the nights are so hot, that recovery is impacted. So, you have your plants, they’re stressed for a longer period of time,” she said.

For technical support, farmers are advised to reach out to their RADA Extension Officers and/or the nearest RADA Parish Office.