Agrometeorology
Agrometeorology deals with the weather sensitive elements of agriculture. By studying and examining the relationship between the soil, plant and atmosphere, agricultural interests are able to enhance and increase production. Some of the most studied weather related variables include: precipitation, sunlight, and temperature.
Precipitation is the water released from clouds, mainly rain and snow. This water is a primary component of photosynthesis and is essential for the production of agriculture. The water helps with the growth cycles of plants and the uptake of nutrients in the root system, but are also essential for the health of livestock.
One of the primary ways rainfall is used, is by placing agricultural zones in areas where the fields can naturally capture the rain; this is called rain-fed agriculture. In other areas, irrigation, the practice of drawing up water for underground storage or diverting water from its original location to water the plants, is used to help supplement the rain or lack of rain in regions to sustain agriculture.
Chlorophyll helps the photosynthesis process (ability to make food) in plants and since length of the day has an impact on the production of chlorophyll in a plant, sunlight is an important part of the process within plants. Sunlight breaks down the chlorophyll so it needs to be constantly replaced and in order to do that, the plant relies on sunlight.
Location determines the amount of sunlight an area will receive over the course of the year. Places closest to the equator do not see much variation in the length of daylight hours during all four seasons. The further away a location is from the equator, the number of daylight hours will decrease in the fall and winter. Between September and March, days are shorter than nights in the Northern Hemisphere; the opposite is true in the Southern Hemisphere. Knowing the sunlight exposure in different regions is essential to know which crops will be able to grow.
Air temperature has large influences on the production of agriculture. It can impact all of the biochemical reactions of photosynthesis and respiration. Extended periods of heat waves or cold spells can affect soil temperature, which inhibits the growth of the plant and root system.
The air temperature also controls the amount of available water in the soil through increasing or decreasing the rate of evaporation and the ability for roots to uptake nutrients.