Assessing suitability of major meteorological factors for facility agriculture in mainland China

Abstract

Abstract In China, more than two-thirds of protected cultivation occurs in low-tech facilities with limited ability to withstand adverse weather conditions. However, the specific meteorological factors that hinder facility agriculture production in various locations remain unclear. Here, we evaluated temperature and sunlight for assessing facility agriculture suitability in mainland China across different transplanting dates and ENSO phases (El Niño, La Niña, and Neutral) and to determine the optimal transplanting window. This aids in reducing climatic risks, and enhancing adaptation to changing climates. The results showed that growth cycles starting from March to June provide suitable temperature and sunlight, making them ideal transplanting window for many parts of northern China. However, both El Niño and La Niña significantly increased the high-temperature days and shortened the optimal transplanting window. For growth cycles starting from July to the following January, low temperatures are the primary factor limiting facility agriculture production in northern and western China. In southern China, sparse sunlight is the primary limiting factor year-round, and El Niño exacerbates this, particularly for growth cycles starting from September to November. This combined assessment of major meteorological factors, transplanting dates, ENSO phases, and regions, can assist decision-makers and growers in adapting to the changing climate and minimizing production risks.