Climate change in arid areas increases kharif yield: Study

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

Changing meteorological trends and climatic variables in arid areas of Haryana over the past 45 years have shown an increase in the yield of kharif crops, which may indicate further increasing trends if other factors are not limiting, a new study claims.

Analysis of yield data from 1972 to 2016 revealed that cotton lint yield increased at a maximum rate of 17.5 per cent, followed by pearl millet at 7.8 per cent, rice at 3.1 per cent and barley at 2.7 per cent. No significant trend was observed in wheat, gram and pigeon pea yield during the period. The increasing trend in yield was found to be more in kharif crops compared to rabi crops.

The study was undertaken by five experts from Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, and Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, and published recently by the India Meteorological Department. The purpose was to determine long-term trends in evapo-transpiration (ET), its explanatory weather variables and ultimate effect on the yield of major crops of the arid ecosystem in south-western Haryana.

During the past 45 years, wind speed declined at 5 per cent while sunshine hours and reference evaporation declined at 3.3 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, the study found. The minimum temperature increased at 1.8 per cent and an average rainfall deficit of 1,122 mm over ET was observed although it registered a declining trend owing to reduction in ET.

The Hisar area was chosen for the study because it is typically arid, but still one of the most agriculturally active regions of Haryana. It represents the western agro-climatic region of Haryana with hot summers and chilling winters, with 80 per cent of its annual precipitation being received from July to September during the south-western monsoon.