The biologist talked about ways to preserve crops at high temperatures.

High temperatures can negatively affect the growth and fruiting of garden and horticultural crops, therefore, in the hot season, plants need proper watering, sun protection and proper care. On August 6, Ksenia Lebedeva-Georgievskaya, Candidate of Biological Sciences, curator of the Chemistry and Biology department at the Higher School of Economics, told Izvestia about this.

According to the expert, the optimal temperature for most plants in temperate climates is from 18 to 30 degrees. When the temperature rises above 30-35 degrees, the activity of enzymes involved in photosynthesis decreases, and when the temperature approaches 40 degrees, this process practically stops in many crops.

In the heat, plants increase the evaporation of moisture through the leaves, but the root system does not always have time to replenish the loss of water. As a result, the transport of nutrients is disrupted, and at temperatures above 30 degrees, the quality of pollen in some fruit crops deteriorates, which can lead to problems with pollination and fruit formation.

To protect plants during periods of extreme heat, the expert recommends using shading materials during the hours of maximum solar activity — from 12 to 16 hours. At the same time, it is important to avoid the greenhouse effect and provide air access to plants.

Rains and hurricane-force winds will cover: weather forecasters warn Russians about weather anomalies in August

The weather forecast becomes reliably reliable in 3-5 days.

Lebedeva-Georgievskaya also advises mulching the soil with straw, mown grass or bark. This method helps to reduce moisture evaporation. At the same time, it is not recommended to use black film as mulch, since it can heat up and worsen the condition of plants.

Special attention should be paid to watering. According to the expert, it is better not to use cold water, but to carry out the procedure in the morning or evening hours. Excessive moisture is also harmful: it reduces oxygen access to the roots and increases the risk of fungal diseases.

"The most common and fatal mistakes are related to watering. For example, it may be frequent, but not abundant watering or watering in the middle of the day. Do not pour cold water, and make sure that the water does not get on the leaves. It is better to postpone fertilizing, especially with nitrogen, transplanting and pruning until more comfortable temperatures," the expert noted.

Cucumbers, salads, greens, cabbage, radishes and tomatoes suffer the most from the heat. In these crops, the taste quality deteriorates, and in tomatoes, at high temperatures, pollen can become sterile, which prevents the formation of ovaries.

During the heat, the specialist does not recommend transplanting, pruning and using nitrogen fertilizers. According to her, nitrogen stimulates plant growth, which makes them consume more resources and tolerate heat worse. It is better to prepare for the hot season in advance: it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil, maintain plant health, combine proper watering, shade and moderate nutrition.

A heat wave of up to +32 degrees is expected in Moscow from 5 to 7 August, the Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations in the capital warned a day earlier. It was noted that such weather increases the risk of overheating, deterioration of well-being, as well as an increase in the number of accidents, man-made accidents and fires due to increased load on the power grid.