Will smoke from Canadian wildfires have an impact on vegetable crop quality?

Published 2023년 6월 12일

Tridge summary

Canadian wildfires are affecting the air quality in the Northeast U.S., leading to concerns for growers of field-grown vegetables. However, research indicates that the impact on plants will be minimal, as smoke does not significantly impede photosynthesis and does not pose a risk of contaminating produce with harmful chemicals. Growers are advised to ensure proper soil moisture to mitigate the effects of the smoke and any associated drought conditions. There is no need to worry about smoky flavors in the produce, and the rain falling through the smoky layer is also harmless.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Canadian wildfires are impacting air quality in the Northeast U.S. Smoke has filled the sky and warnings issued for outdoor activities. This is making many growers around the Northeast worried about the potential impact the smoke will have on field grown vegetables. The good news is the impact will be minimal at worst, research confirms. Smoke-filled skies decrease sunlight and reduce photosynthesis, but to a small degree and temporarily. Despite the shade, there is still enough diffused light penetrating the smoke to maintain growth. Smoke typically does not block the pores in the leaf (stomata) where photosynthesis happens. The most important thing growers can do is maintain good soil moisture by optimizing irrigation. This will keep the pores open and clean. The drought conditions this spring are likely to cause more of a problem than the smoke. Concerns that leafy greens and other commodities will pick up a smoky flavor are unwarranted. Recent research done in California after ...

Source: Growingproduce