How do I read a heat wave warning and protect my crop from a heatwave?

Before and during a forecast heat wave, keep the soil moist with a light irrigation, add mulch to cool the root zone, and avoid stressing the crop with sprays in the hottest hours. When IMD warns of a heat wave, give a light irrigation a day before the peak heat, because moist soil and a transpiring crop stay cooler and water stress hits harder on dry soil. Mulch the soil with straw or crop residue to reduce evaporation and keep roots cooler. Irrigate in the early morning or evening, not at midday. Avoid spraying chemicals in extreme heat as it scorches leaves and evaporates fast. For vegetables and nurseries, use shade net or a light cover during peak afternoon. Foliar sprays of potassium or recommended anti transpirants can help some crops handle heat, but check with your KVK first. Sensitive stages like flowering and grain filling suffer most, so protect water supply at those times. Watch the 7 day forecast so you can irrigate ahead of the heat spike rather than after damage shows.