Changes in climate can have major consequences for the agricultural sector. This also applies to potato growers in the American state of Maine, experts warn. The season in the state in the northeast of the US is getting longer, while the risks of potato cultivation are increasing.
According to the research and journalism collective Climate Central, the number of growing degree days - the American equivalent of the temperature sum - has increased by more than 20% in northern Maine since 1970, resulting in one extra week of growth in the relatively short growing season. . However, those extra growing days come at a price.
The higher temperatures are accompanied by longer periods of drought, which alternate with more intense periods of precipitation. This can cause rot in the potatoes if the water stays in the ridges for too long and leads to erosion. In addition, higher temperatures in the summer cause heat stress in the potatoes and the night temperature also rises, giving the crop insufficient time to cool down. "How big the influence is on potato production depends on several factors," Gregory Porter, professor of crop cultivation and management at the University of Maine at Bangor Daily News. "It's ultimately about the magnitude of the shifts and how variable and inconsistent the changes in climate are."