What Causes Heat Stress in Plants
When temperatures start creeping above 85 degrees, you’re not the only one who’s stressed. Most plants suffer when the weather turns hot enough for a certain period of time. It causes irreversible damage by way of plant function or development. This isn’t merely droopy leaves in the heat of the afternoon; it’s things like stunted growth, leaf drop, leaf scald, failure to flower, or failure to produce seeds.
Heat stress can occur from high daytime temperatures, high nighttime temperatures, or high soil temperatures, and is the collective result of the intensity of the heat, the duration of exposure, and the rate of increase in temperature.