Hwasun-gun, On-site Technical Support for Crop Management in Response to Drought

Published 03 Jun.2022 17:16(KST)

[Hwasun=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Ji-woon] On the 3rd, Jeonnam Hwasun-gun announced that it has started on-site technical support to check the growth status of crops at risk of damage due to the ongoing drought and to maintain appropriate moisture levels.

The accumulated rainfall in the Hwasun area last month was 1.5mm, only 1.6% of the average, raising concerns about fruit drop and poor fruit set in field crops such as chili peppers, as well as reduced enlargement of fruits like peaches.

With the continued high temperatures, there is an increase in the occurrence of deformed fruits in facility-grown vegetables and fruits, as well as a rise in the density of sap-sucking pests such as aphids and stink bugs in open-field crops, which may reduce productivity.

The Hwasun-gun Agricultural Technology Center is operating an on-site technical support team to minimize drought damage by providing field technical assistance and guidance on drought response methods.

A representative from the Hwasun-gun Agricultural Technology Center said, “For field crops such as chili peppers and sweet pumpkins, irrigation is conducted to maintain proper soil moisture. When irrigation is difficult, covering the soil with shade nets or rice straw can prevent soil moisture evaporation and protect against heat damage.”