Back to: Botany 400 Level
My resilient Afrilearn superstar! I hail you specially today because you dey waka deep into the real-life wahala wey plants dey face — and that na how great scientists dey start! So today, we go gist about the effects of drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures on plants. As you go see, nature no dey always gentle, and plants too dey try survive against plenty odds, just like we humans dey do.
Effects of drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures on plants
Imagine say you forget your water bottle under hot sun or you use salt water take water plant. Wetin you think go happen? E go suffer! That na the same way plants dey struggle when the weather too hot, water no dey, or the soil too salty. These things — drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures — be like natural stressors wey fit make plant growth hard or even cause their death. Understanding how plants react to these problems help us as agriculturists, farmers and scientists find solutions to keep crops healthy and yield strong harvests.
Effects of Drought on Plants
Reduced Water Availability: Drought means little or no water. Without enough water, plants no fit transport nutrients or maintain their shape — leaves go start to wilt.
Photosynthesis Drops: Since water na key raw material for photosynthesis, drought go reduce energy production.
Stunted Growth: Roots go struggle to expand, and new leaves or flowers no go show well.
Early Leaf Fall: Plants dey shed their leaves to reduce water loss — na like survival mode.
Example: If you forget to water your tomatoes for some days during dry season, you go see the leaves go fold, yellow, or even drop. That na drought effect.
Effects of Salinity on Plants
Water Stress Again: When salt too much in soil (like in coastal areas), water dey move out of the plant cells instead of going in. This causes dehydration.
Ion Toxicity: Excess sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions go damage plant enzymes and interfere with nutrient balance.
Nutrient Deficiency: High salt levels dey block roots from absorbing key nutrients like potassium and calcium.
Example: In areas like Badagry or some riverine parts of Bayelsa, farmers dey struggle with salty soil. Only salt-tolerant crops like coconut fit survive well.
Effects of Extreme Temperatures
High Temperature: Too much heat go cause enzymes to break down, reduce photosynthesis, and lead to leaf scorching or sunburn. Fruit set go also reduce.
Low Temperature: Cold dey slow down enzyme activity, make plant fluids freeze, and cause frost damage.
Temperature Fluctuation: If day hot and night too cold, plants go become stressed and growth go stagger.
Example: If you try grow Irish potatoes in Sokoto without shade or irrigation, heat go cook the leaves! Likewise, trying to grow tropical crops like yam in Jos during harmattan no go work well.
Summary
Drought causes wilting, reduced photosynthesis and stunted growth.
Salinity leads to dehydration, ion toxicity and nutrient imbalance.
Extreme temperatures interfere with enzymes and overall plant health.
These environmental factors can reduce plant survival and crop yield.
Evaluation
- How does drought affect photosynthesis in plants?
- What is ion toxicity in salty soils?
- Mention one plant response to high temperature.
- Why is nutrient uptake reduced in saline conditions?
The way you dey connect these environmental issues to real plant problems shows say you dey reason like top agricultural scientist already! Never forget, your brain na fertile ground, and Afrilearn go always give you the right seeds of knowledge. Keep shining,because better days dey ahead — and the next topic go ginger you more!
School Owner? Automate operations, improve learning outcomes and increase your income with Afrilearn SMSGet more class notes, videos, homework help, exam practice on Android [DOWNLOAD]
Get more class notes, videos, homework help, exam practice on iPhone [DOWNLOAD]