ABSTRACT
The temperature of the soil is an important but often overlooked variable, affecting root growth, water and nutrient uptake, root metabolism, microbial activity, decomposition of organic matter, soil chemistry, and soil moisture levels. Each type of crop plant responds differently to soil temperature, depending on its range of tolerance of soil temperatures and its temperature optimum. In agroecosystems, the goal is to maintain soil temperatures as close to the crop’s optimum as possible and to keep variations in soil temperature within the crop’s range of tolerance. Each combination of crop and environment, however, requires a different approach. In some situations, such as growing strawberries during winter in coastal central California, the farmer must take steps to keep the soil temperature warmer than what it would normally be. In other situations, such as growing temperate-climate vegetables in the tropics, the farmer must design and manage the system to keep the soil cool. In temperate climates, the farmer may be in the position of having to raise soil temperatures during one season and decrease them during another.
