CROP PLANNING TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH RAINFALL ANALYSIS

R.S. NEGI¹, S.S. KAUSHIK², S.R.K. SINGH³, NITIN SONI⁴*, A. MISHRA⁵, SONAM AGRAWAL^6
1Deendayal Research Institute, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Satna, 485331, M.P.
²Deendayal Research Institute, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Satna, 485331, M.P.
³ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone VII, Jabalpur, 482004, M.P.
⁴ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone VII, Jabalpur, 482004, M.P.
⁵ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone VII, Jabalpur, 482004, M.P.
⁶ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone VII, Jabalpur, 482004, M.P.
* Corresponding Author : nitin.soni28@gmail.com

Received : 29-04-2016     Accepted : 01-07-2016     Published : 15-10-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 47       Pages : 1966 - 1969
Int J Agr Sci 8.47 (2016):1966-1969

Keywords : Climate change; Drought; Length of growing period (LGP); Rainfall; Crop and Varietal selection
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

The weekly rainfall data of about 22 years (1993-2014) for the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh were analyzed to determine rainfall deficit or surplus for evaluating a strategy for contingency crop planning and water management practices to promote crop production in rain fed areas. The study showed that there were about 8 drought years when the rainfall was found deficit by more than 25 % during the period of 1993 to 2014 in Satna. The worst was experienced in the year 1993 that received 53.58% of the normal rainfall. It was interesting to observe a definite trend in drought periods, showing seven year interval between two successive drought years during the period under study. The month of April, May, November and December were found to be the most drought prone. All the three drought indices identified Satna as the drought prone area. The study also revealed that last week of June will be the best time for sowing kharif crops in the district for better crop germination, establishment and to combat drought. The early maturing rice varieties ’Vandana’ ’Kalinga’’JR-201’, ’Danteshwari’,’Samlesheari’ ’NDR-97’, and ’Sahbhagi’ and soybean varieties ’JS-95-60’ and ’JS-93-05’ may be grown in deep soils under the undulating terrain of the district. Crops like sorghum, maize, sesame, blackgram, greengram and vegetables (coriander, radish, spinach, cauliflower, tomato, chillies, cowpea, and okra), may be grown under rain fed conditions in well drained shallow soils of the undulating terrain and second crop is not possible because of short LGP. Clay soils with impeded drainage may be used under paddy varieties ’Pusa- 1509’. ’Pusa Sughandh-3’ ’Pusa Sughandh-5’ ’Pusa Sughandh-4’ ’Pusa Sughandh-2’’MR-219’ and ’WGL-32100’ maturing with in the 120-130 days duration. Whereas, in clay soils, medium duration paddy varieties maturing within 100-120 days duration ’IR-36’, ’IR-64’, ’Sonam’ ’Pant Dhan -10’, Pant Dhan-12’, ’JR-353’’JR-503’ and ’MTU-1010’ can be grown.