Showing papers in "Journal of Agrometeorology in 2012"

Vulnerability assessment of kharif rainfed sorghum to climate change in SAT regions of India

Abstract: This paper presents results of Info Crop model evaluation in terms of its validation, sensitivityimpact and adaptation of sorghum to climate change in semi arid tropics (SAT) regions of India The modelhas reasonably predicted phenology, crop growth yield Sorghum crop was found to be sensitive to changesin carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and temperature Future climate change scenario analysis showed that sorghumyields are likely to reduce at Akola, Anantpur, Coimbatore and Bijapur At Kota the sorghum yield is likelyto increase at 2020 and no change at 2050 and yield will reduce at 2080 The increase in yield at Gwaliorand Kota at 2020 is due to reduction in maximum temperature and increase in rainfall from current Adoptionof adaptation measure like one irrigation (50mm) at 40-45 days after sowing would be better adaptationstrategies for rainfed kharif sorghum with existing varieties in the selected location of the SAT regions Key words : InfoCrop, simulation, validation, adaptation, dry matter, leaf area index, maturity, India, SATSorghum is the fifth most important cereal cropgrown on 47 million ha in 99 countries in Africa, Asia,Oceania, and the Americas Major producers are the USA,India, Nigeria, China, Mexico, Sudan and ArgentinaIn India sorghum is mainly grown in the DeccanPlateau, Central and Western India apart from a few patches inNorthern India as a dryland cereal crop It is nutritionallysuperior to other fine cereals such as rice and wheat with highfiber content, minerals and slow digestibility As sorghum isgenerally cultivated in nutrient-poor soils in frequently droughtprone areas, it offers food and fodder security through riskaversion on sustainable basis Water stress is one the majorconstrain in sorghum production in rainfed area In India theyield gap analysis (Murthy