ABSTRACT

Abstract ................................................................................................... 62 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................... 63 5.2 Weather Variables and Growth Correlations .................................. 65 5.3 Conclusions .................................................................................... 81 Keywords ................................................................................................ 83 References ............................................................................................... 83

ABSTRACT

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected a temperature rise of 1-3 °C which may impact agriculture adversely, may reduce crop yields up to 10 percent by 2020 for Asia (IPCC, 2007). Some Indian studies have indicated that 5-7% decline in wheat yields for every degree Celsius increase in temperature given that current level of irrigation does not erode (Abdul Vahab Abdul Haris, 2013; Agarwal, 2009). Impacts and magnitude of climate change, a global phenomenon though not precisely understood as they become discernible at their tipping points, gradually increased risks originating from erratic weather, altering dynamics of pests and diseases have the potential to adversely impact crop yields and crop distribution in the country. Crop production dynamics in mango in different parts of the country in recent years is gripped with uncertainties due to occurrence of weather extremes, inadequacies of water and nutrient management and impacts of altered pests and diseases prevalence. The Konkan region of Maharashtra where the production of country’s premier variety, ‘Alphonso’ is under monoculture getting impacted by weather vagaries for the last four years under the influence of western disturbances needs elaborate studies for understanding in order to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies. Despite some regional studies undertaken to profile the effects of some weather parameters on response of mango crop in some agro-ecologies, a clear understanding of its vulnerability to different phenophases events vis a vis production constraints is yet to emerge. This is especially important as mango production in recent years is getting adversely impacted by such weather variables as both high as well as low temperatures, unseasonal rainfall, floods, sunshine hours, relative humidity, wind speed, etc. These variables potentially affected the different phenophases viz., vegetative growth dynamics, fruit bud differentiation, flowering, pests and diseases dynamics, fruit set and development, maturity, harvests and eventually the markets. Limited information however, is available on the understanding the impacts of weather components either individually or conjunctively influencing individual phenophases and their contribution to over all crop outputs in order to put in place effective horticultural interventions. The spatio-temporal relationships and relative effects of critical weather variables on phenophases and crop productivity when appraised on collective and regional basis will facilitate development of models that could form part of the Deci-

sion Support System (DSS) for empowering growers’ communities. Long term adaptation and mitigation strategies however need to entail studies on carbon sequestration, development of climate resilient varieties, improved crop husbandry practices for risk management, productive use of water and nutrient resources and integrated management of pests and diseases. The present paper based on inputs received from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh unfolds effects of some key weather parameters of three fruiting seasons on critical phenophases on mango production in some important mango producing regions with special reference to Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh.