CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES IN NIGERIA: POTENTIAL IMPACT ON PLANT HEALTH

Abstract

Climate change is a phenomenon that has the potential of affecting all natural and human systems and may be a threat to human development. This is particularly the case in developing countries. This paper is a theoretical article that focuses on the potential impacts of climate change to plant health. It further highlighted soil health as a key consideration in sustainable agriculture. Secondary data were used to show the implications of climate change on agriculture. Also, literatures were identified for review through a comprehensive search by using electronic and non[1]electronic databases. Related published literature and documents were searched in a systematic way using a range of key words relating to climate change impacts and agriculture, and the literature review indicates that for each plant variety, there is an optimal temperature for vegetative growth, with growth dropping off as temperatures increase or decrease. Similarly, there is a range of temperatures at which a plant will produce seed. Outside of this range, the plant will not reproduce. Measures were recommended on how to combat the adverse effect of climate change on plant health which are classified into two namely short- term measures such as irrigation, cloud seeding, use of insecticides, cover cropping, growing of hybrid crops, changing of the micro climate by introducing windbreaks, shading to reduce heat and so on; and long term measures such as afforestation, controlled grazing, population control, creation of more forest reserves and construction of more multi- purpose dams just to mention, but few.