Weather & Crop Growth (Cambridge International IGCSE Environmental Management)

What is weather?

• Weather is the day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in a particular place

  • Includes factors like temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, cloud cover and sunlight

• Weather can change quickly, even within the same day

  • For example, it may be sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon

• Weather affects how much water, sunlight and heat crops receive each day

• Short-term weather events (storms, heatwaves, cold snaps) can damage crops or slow their growth

Impact of wet & dry seasons on crop growth

• Many places around the world experience regular seasonal patterns that affect crop growth
• These include wet seasons, with heavy rainfall, and dry seasons, with little or no rain

Wet seasons

• A wet season is a period of the year with heavy and frequent rainfall

• Common in regions influenced by monsoon winds, such as:

  • India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam (South and Southeast Asia)
  • Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania (parts of Africa)
  • Northern Australia

• Wet seasons help crops by providing plenty of water

• However, very heavy rain can cause:

  • Waterlogging, reducing oxygen in the soil
  • Flooding, washing away soil, seeds or nutrients
  • Difficulty planting or harvesting due to muddy fields

Dry seasons

• A dry season is a period with little or no rainfall for many weeks or months

• Common in regions with strong seasonal differences, such as:

  • Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Botswana)
  • Northeast Brazil (semi-arid regions)
  • Central America (Mexico, Honduras)
  • Some areas of the Mediterranean experience long dry summers

• Dry seasons reduce water available for crops, leading to:

  • Drought, causing crops to wilt or die
  • Lower yields unless irrigation systems are used
  • Stress on soil moisture and nutrient uptake

• Farmers in these regions must plan planting and harvesting around seasonal rainfall patterns to maximise crop success