Manual on Agricultural Meteorology with Special Reference to Jute and Allied Fibre Crops

Abstract

Agricultural production in developing countries like India by and large still dependent on weather and climate despite the impressive advances in agricultural technology over the last half a century. Moreover the challenges by increasing climate variability and associated extreme events as well as climate change, all of which affecting the socio-economic conditions of agrarian livelihood. More than ever, agrometeorological services have become essential because of the challenges provided to the many forms of agricultural production by increasing climatic uncertainty. Detailed observations, recording and real-time dissemination of meteorological information are important for in-time technical operations in agricultural activities for resource conservation, energy savings and for good harvest. Short term as well as long term weather forecasting supports to take the tactical agrometeorological decisions in short term planning of agricultural operations at different crop growth stages and in long term planning as well. Strategic actions on management of agricultural activities depend on systematic collection of agrometeorological data and its analysis for weather forecasting. The Practical Manual on Agricultural Meteorology describes the principles of the functioning of the surface instruments of Agrometeorological Observatory and the methodologies for measurement of weather parameters in a simple and lucid way so that weather observer, students, scientists and other interested persons can understand and adopt those step-by-step methodologies easily. This manual will be useful for weather observer, students and researchers engaged in the field of agrometeorology.