Weather
Use and interpretation of weather information
Informed use and interpretation of weather information is an important contributor to successful crop management.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Sustainable Farming Fund funded a series of factsheets for pipfruit and winegrape growers to improve weather 'literacy' within these sections. The fact sheets are presented on this site as pdf files, which means that you will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view their contents.
You can access these factsheets in two ways:
- from the grouped list (below) containing a summary and link to each factsheet file
- a search engine for locating specific information from the entire set of documents
Climate Change in the orchard & vineyards: Macroclimate
What is "macroclimate"?
What are the 4 main components of the macroclimate?
There are a number of major macroclimate (global) influences at play in NZ. What are they?
What are some ways to manage Macroclimate influences on orchard?
Downloadable file: FS1-1Macroclimate.pdf Climate change in the orchard & vineyards: microclimate
What is microclimate?
What are some of the local features that can influence a microclimate?
What are some ways to manage Microclimate influences and therefore plant responses on orchard?
Downloadable file: FS1-2Microclimate.pdf Interpreting weather forecasts
What are the three main components of a weather forecast?
How can you use weather forecasting information to develop more accurate forecasts for your orchard?
How do you check the accuracy of weather forecasts?
Downloadable file: FS2-1WeatherForecasts.pdf What's the difference between weather and climate forecasts?
What are the differences in the definition between weather and climate?
What are the timeframes applicable between weather forecasts and climate forecasts?
How dependable are weather and climate forecasts?
Downloadable file: FS2-2DifferenceBetweenWeatherAndClimateForecasts.pdf Reading a weather map
What are the two most common forms of weather maps?
What is the most common form of rain bearing weather system?
Isobars show lines of equal barometric pressure - what also do they indicate?
How many types of fronts are there?
Downloadable file: FS2-3ReadingWeatherMaps.pdf Weather monitoring equipment
Why monitor weather?
What are the most common forms of on-orchard weather monitoring?
What are the recommended types of weather sensors in orchard situation?
Where is the best place to site a weather station on an orchard?
Downloadable file: FS3-1WeatherMonitoringEquipment.pdf Temperature measurement
What are the three ways of measuring temperature?
Does temperature recording equipment be calibrated?
What is "Ice point"
How are heat/chilling accumulations/degree growing hours calculated?
Downloadable file: FS3-2Temperature.pdf Surface wetness measurement
Why measure leaf wetness?
What is the most common form of wetness monitors?
Should wetness sensors be set up in a crop canopy?
What are the advantages/disadvantages between flat or cylindrical wetness sensors?
Leaf wetness is used by disease prediction models - true or false?
Downloadable file: FS3-3SurfaceWetness.pdf Measuring humidity
What is humidity?
What is the best way of describing humidity in the air?
What is "Dew point"?
How can humidity be measured?
Is humidity as important as leaf wetness in disease prediction models?
Downloadable file: FS3-4Humidity.pdf Light measurement
Do plants use the same wavelengths of light as we can see?
What is "PAR"?
Why is light an important component of orchard management?
Downloadable file: FS3-5Light.pdf Wind measurement
Why record wind?
What are the two components of wind velocity?
What is used to measure wind speed?
What is wind run?
Why is monitoring wind velocity important in an orchard situation?
Downloadable file: FS3-6Wind.pdf Chilling measurement
What is "winter chilling?
What are "Chilling hours"?
How are chilling hours calculated?
What are the orchard management considerations in monitoring winter chilling?
Downloadable file: FS3-7ChillingMeasurement.pdf Heat accumulation
Why is heat accumulation monitoring and modelling important in horticulture?
What is "Development threshold"?
Are "Heat accumulation calculation method" entirely accurate in determining heat accumulations?
Downloadable file: FS3-8HeatAccumulations.pdf Using thermometers effectively
What are the 5 C's for correct operation of a thermometer?
Should thermometers be calibrated?
What is "Ice point"
Downloadable file: FS3-9UsingThermometers.pdf Disease epidemiology
Disease may be be prevalent in a crop without being detected - true or false?
Can disease epidemics in the horticulture be easily controlled?
What is a "Latent period" in a disease lifecycle?
What are the main types of control and management that can be used in a disease epidemic?
Downloadable file: FS4-1DiseaseEpidemiology.pdf Disease forecasting
Why is disease forecasting so critical in crop management?
What are the main observation and monitoring methods of used for disease risk prediction?
What is the most important disease forecasting prediction tool?
Downloadable file: FS4-2DiseaseForecasting.pdf Temperature effects on insect development
How does temperature influence insect growth and lifecycle development?
What is a "Temperature development threshold"?
What is a "Degree day" in terms of insect development?
What is a "Biofix point"?
Can temperature influence the number of generations of insects in a season?
Downloadable file: FS5-1TemperatureEffectsOnInsectDevelopment.pdf Climate effect on insect flight
What are the flight patterns of the the 3 key fruit moth pests in NZ?
How does weather affect the effectiveness of pheromone trapping?
What are the effects of wind on Scale insect movement?
What are the effects of rainfall on Apple leaf curling midge?
Downloadable file: FS5-2ClimaticFactorsInsects.pdf How do pheromone dispensers work?
How does temperature affect the effectiveness of pheromone trapping?
How does wind affect the effectiveness of pheromone trapping?
Downloadable file: FS5-3PheromoneDispenserReleaseEfficacy.pdf
Consumer
Follow us on >
