Crop planning to combat climate change through rainfall analysis

Abstract

The weekly rainfall data of about 22 years (1993-2014) for the Satnadistrict of Madhya Pradesh wereanalyzed to determine rainfall deficit or surplusfor evaluating a strategy for contingency crop planning and water management practices to promote crop production in rain fed are as.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 intere sting 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 k harif crops in the district for better crop germination, establishment and to combat drought. The early maturing ricevarieties ’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’ ’PusaSughandh-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’, ’JR353’’JR-503’ and ’MTU-1010’ can be grown