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While China grows more potatoes than any other country, it faces a burgeoning problem: relying upon unsustainable farming practices to feed an increasing population.

This periodical examines some of the factors that contribute to agricultural health in China and demonstrates how Radiant Solutions identifies and target crops with poor health. To continue reading the in-depth profile on Ningxia, China and learn more about how Radiant Solutions is utilizing geospatial tools to improve farming practices and increase crop yields, please subscribe to our exclusive monthly periodical, the Radiant Spotlight here.




Sneak Peek

Weather & Climate

Weather observations are valuable for area reduction and targeted agricultural health analysis. Weather impacts crop yield through changes in temperature and precipitation. Potatoes prefer cool temperatures depending on specific variety and other environmental factors. Higher temperatures can result in low crop yield and increase the spread of disease and pests, which also impedes plant growth. During the 2015 potato harvest season, the majority of the Ningxia region showed a maximum temperature of Weather & Climate 75-80°F. The northern Ningxia region in particular was approximately 4-5°F warmer than normal temperatures during the 2015 planting season.

Precipitation is also a key factor. Most potato crops maximize their yield at 20-27.5 inches of water over the course of the growing cycle, although they will successfully grow and produce lower yields in drier conditions. During the 2015 growing season, Ningxia's precipitation ranged from just 1-12 inches.

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