In late June, smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the Dayton-area and most of the Midwest. The air quality index reached over 220 — unhealthy for most people. But there’s also some direct effects for Ohio cash crops like soy and corn.
In middle school, most people learn that photosynthesis is the process where plants turn sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into energy, usually in the form of sugar. But if enough smoke covers the sunlight for a long period of time, it might hinder that process.
Another concern is the presence of toxic gasses in smoke like ozone and nitrous oxide, which can damage tissue, induce stress in plants and delay growth and harvest.
But oddly enough, plants might fare better with light to moderate smoke, according to Alex Lindsey, an agronomist at the Ohio State University.
“Plants tend to use scattered light more effectively than direct sunlight. And so having more diffuse light could actually help to stabilize photosynthesis in plants to some degree,” Lindsey said. “Though, I don't think it's a good idea to have this for a long range.”
Lindsey added scientists are still studying how severe the air quality has to be and for how long to damage crops.
Some indirect impacts of wildfire smoke is how it might prevent fertilization, spraying, and other essential tasks out in the field. The prolonged exposure to smoke could also pose a health risk to farm workers.
Lindsey said it’s likely the smoke won't have a long term effect on this seasons’ crops and they’ll have plenty of time to adjust and recover. Though it is likely the Midwest will experience more extreme weather as a result of climate change.
“There's a growing mantra amongst the agricultural community to understand that the averages may not be shifting substantially, but the variance is definitely increasing. It seems like when it rains, it pours. When it's dry, it's really dry. When it's hot, it's really hot.”Lindsey said.
Alejandro Figueroa is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
