The climatic elements the observation of which is valuable for agricultural purposes can be approached on an idealized threefold scale: (1) microscale observations of small areas for research designed to elucidate basic physical processes; (2) mesoscale climatic networks designed for practicing farmers to improve their operations; and (3) macroscale regional networks intended for weather forecasting and for gathering basic climatic data (see also weather forecasting: Meteorological measurement and weather forecasting). Macroscale stations can be further divided into first-order and second-order stations, the number and type of observations different for each. Micrometeorology demands the most elaborate array of measuring devices, while a second-order macroscale station requires the least; in fact, the latter station will measure only five elements: air temperature, rain, snow, humidity, and surface wind. A first-order macrostation will be equipped to measure 16 elements: global radiation, sunshine hours, clouds, net radiation, air temperature, soil temperature, rain, snow, hail, dew, fog, humidity, pan evaporation, pressure, upper air wind, and surface wind. Mesoscale measurements include 10 elements and microscale 27 (three of which are derived from others).

The World Meteorological Organization and the various national weather services are concerned with establishment and improvement of macroscale regional climatic stations, both first-class and second-class. Spaced at least 10 miles (16 kilometres) apart, their value for daily agricultural operations is limited, but they are useful for long-range planning and forecasting. Most parts of North America, Europe, and Australia have adequate networks of these stations, but wide gaps exist in the tropics, polar regions, and arid lands.

The degree day

One weather characteristic of agricultural value is the degree day. This concept holds that the growth of a plant is dependent on the total amount of heat to which it is subjected during its lifetime, accumulated as degree days. Common practice is to use 50° F (10° C) as a base. Thus, if the mean daily temperature for a particular day is 60° F (16° C), then 10 degree days are accumulated for that day on the Fahrenheit scale. The total number of growing degree days required for maturity varies with crop variety as well as plant species. Also, the minimum threshold temperature (the temperature below which the plant is damaged or unable to grow) varies with plants; e.g., 40° F (4° C) for peas, 50° F (10° C) for corn (maize), and 55° F (13° C) for citrus fruits. Where studies have established the number of degree days required for maturity of a given crop, the planting dates can be scheduled for orderly harvest and processing. The system is helpful in selecting crop varieties appropriate to different geographical areas; it also has value in scheduling spray programs and predicting insect emergence.

The growing-degree-day concept has certain weaknesses: (1) it assumes that the relationship between growth and temperature is linear (actually it is not); (2) it makes no allowance for changing threshold temperatures with advancing crop development; (3) too much weight is given to temperatures above 80° F (27° C), which may be detrimental; and (4) no account is taken of the diurnal temperature range, which is often more significant than the mean daily value.

Solar radiation

Solar radiation is the ultimate source for all physical and biological processes of the earth. Agriculture itself is a strategy for exploitation of solar energy, made possible by water and nutrients. During daytime hours, solar radiation is delivered both directly and by diffused sky reflection. The incoming radiation that is not reflected by the surface or reradiated to outer space is the net radiation, which is the energy available for maintaining the earth’s surface temperature. At night the net radiation is negative; that is, energy is lost to outer space by long-wave radiation, and none is gained. The net radiation balance varies widely throughout the world, setting limits on basic agricultural possibilities.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which higher plants manufacture dry matter through the aid of chlorophyll pigment, which uses solar energy to produce carbohydrates out of water and carbon dioxide. The overall efficiency of this critical process is somewhat low, and its mechanics are extremely complex. It is related to light intensity, wavelength, temperature, carbon dioxide concentration in the air, and the respiration rate of the plant. The distribution of solar energy within the plant community is affected by the leaf canopy’s density, height, and capacity to transmit the energy; these therefore affect photosynthesis. The leaf-foliage density is characterized by the leaf-area index, the total leaf area of a plant over a given area of land. The optimum leaf-area index will vary between summer and winter and between temperate and tropical regions, but it represents a key factor in the search for better crop management based on improved photosynthesis. The efficiency of radiation utilization by field crops has been measured, showing that an ordinary crop converts less than 1 percent of available solar energy into organic matter.

Photoperiodism

Photoperiodism is another attribute of plants that may be changed or manipulated in the microclimate. The length of a day is a photoperiod, and the responses of the plant development to a photoperiod are called photoperiodism. Response to the photoperiod is different for different plants; long-day plants flower only under day lengths longer than 14 hours; in short-day plants, flowering is induced by photoperiods of less than 10 hours; day-neutral plants form buds under any period of illumination. There are exceptions and variations in photoperiodic response; also, it is argued that the truly critical factor is actually the amount of exposure to darkness rather than to daylight. Temperature is intimately related to photoperiodism, tending to modify reactions to daylength. Photoperiodism is one determining factor in natural distribution of plants throughout the world.

The phenomenon has many practical applications. Selection of a plant or a variety for a given locality requires knowledge of its interaction with the photoclimate. Artificial illumination is used to control flowering seasons and to increase production of greenhouse crops. In plant breeding, such stimulation of flowering has greatly reduced the time span from germination to maturity, shortening the time necessary to develop new varieties. In sowing field crops, photoperiodism can be used to select the date of sowing to produce optimum harvest size. Crop yield is reduced both by planting in a season that will cause plants to flower early and by planting at a time that will cause very late flowering. In Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), certain rice varieties with a vegetative period of five to six months may extend their life to more than a year when planted in the wrong season, causing almost complete loss of yield. Cowpeas in Nigeria will flower early and produce many seeds only when planted in daylengths of 12 hours or less.