Influence of Arctic light conditions on crop production and quality

Abstract

The natural light conditions above the Arctic Circle are unique in terms of annual variation creating special growth conditions for crop production. These include low solar elevations, very long daily photosynthetic light periods, midnight sun/absence of dark nights, and altered spectral distribution depending on solar elevation. All these factors are known to affect the growth and the metabolism of plants, although their influence on northern crop plants has not yet been reviewed. The ongoing global warming is especially affecting the temperature × light interactions in the Arctic, and understanding the impact on crop production and plant metabolism will be important for an Arctic contribution to global food production. Arctic light conditions have a strong influence on the timing of plant development, which together with temperature limits the number of cultivars suitable for Arctic agriculture. This review compiles information from the reports about the effects of light conditions at high latitudes on growth, biomass production, flowering and quality of the crop plants and discusses the gained knowledge and the key gaps to be addressed.

Trait Expression and Environmental Responses of Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Genetic Resources Targeting Cultivation in the Arctic

“…Growers at locations above the Arctic Circle often cannot establish the fields until they are close to the summer solstice due to snow cover and ground frost. An earlier start to the growing season as a result of increased spring temperatures would allow more growth to take place during high light intensity and longer 24-h photoperiods of the midnight sun period of continuous daylight (Mølmann et al, 2021 ). As already discussed, this study indicates that longer photoperiods and longer daily PARs could reduce the temperature sum requirement at high latitudes.…”

Distinct Cold Acclimation of Productivity Traits in Arabidopsis thaliana Ecotypes

“…IT completes its life cycle over a relatively shorter period (fewer months) between fall and spring and is finished by the end of April (Figure 1; [28][29][30]). Agricultural strategies that involve a move to a higher latitude will likewise expose plants not only to seasonally cooler temperatures but also to an increased total light supply with longer days in the summer [5][6][7][8].…”

“…The movement of agriculture to a cooler time of the year or a higher latitude, as an increasingly discussed agricultural approach [5][6][7][8], should be accompanied by crop development for each specific scenario. The design of climate-resilient crops should take into consideration the specific target latitude and associated degree of environmental variability.…”

“…For example, early sowing of summer crops is used to shift crop production to cooler months of the year, thus evading the most intense summer heat/drought and improving water-use efficiency [4]. Another evasive strategy involves the relocation of agricultural operations (as well as migration of natural plant communities) to higher latitudes where plants experience cooler temperatures and longer photoperiods in the summer [5][6][7][8]. Crops utilized for these strategies must be capable of high productivity in environments with varying levels of exposure to cold temperatures.…”

The Winter-Type Allele of HvCEN Is Associated With Earliness Without Severe Yield Penalty in Icelandic Spring Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

“…It has an average accumulated heat sum over the growth season of 1,300-day degrees (Ólafsson et al, 2007) compared to the Trøndelag region, which has an average heat sum of 1,790-day degrees (Hole and Rafoss, 2010). The study of Mølmann et al (2021) reviewed how the uniquely long summer days in sub-arctic latitudes can compensate for below-optimal temperature during the growth season for biomass production in forage grasses. It seems that the phenological development of barley under these unique conditions is also different from that observed under higher temperatures (Göransson et al, 2021).…”