Impact of tropospheric ozone on crop production under jute-rice cropping system

Abstract

The ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (ICAR-CRIJAF), a premier natural fibre crop research institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is engaged in developing and promoting technologies to improve production and quality of jute and allied fibres and natural fibre based cropping system. In natural fibre based farming system, jute and rice are the major crops grown in rural areas of West Bengal and such crops has been classified as moderately sensitive to ozone. Ozone is a gaseous pollutant in the lower level of the atmosphere, the troposphere, thus will become serious threat in future, affecting crop production in many agricultural regions in changing climate scenario. Keeping in view the global developments over vis-à-vis Indian R&D efforts on climate change research, a project on “Impact of tropospheric ozone on crop production under jute-rice cropping system”, supported by National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) was undertaken during the year 2018-21 to investigate ozone-induced risk using ethylenediurea (EDU) treatment in two important crops i.e. boro rice and jute under two field conditions i.e. semi-urban and rural area. In addition to assessment of jute and rice production losses from risk of ozone induced damage, the screening of best varieties of such crops for their ozone sensitivity/tolerance was also performed which may reduce the detrimental environmental effects associated with increased levels of ozone concentration in the atmosphere. This research bulletin upgrade the knowledge and data in order to understand the magnitude of potential ozone problems with respect to boro rice and jute crop productivity. Research bulletin will be great use to the scientists, extension functionaries and progressive farmers as other stakeholders in the jute and rice growing states.