Vol. 8, Issue 1 (2019)

Author(s):
Surya Prakash Singh, Anil Kumar Jena, Rimi Deuri and Pranamika Sharma

Abstract:
Consequences of climate change on natural and human systems. Agriculture is one sector, which is immediately affected by climate change. Short or long-term fluctuations in weather patterns-climate variability and climate change can influence crop yields and can force farmers to adopt new agricultural practices. In most tropical and sub-tropical regions potential yields are projected to decrease for most projected increases in temperature. In mid-latitudes, crop models indicate that warming of less than a few °C and the associated increase in CO₂ concentrations will lead to generally positive responses and generally negative responses with greater warming. In tropical agricultural areas, similar assessments indicate that yields of some crops would decrease with even minimal increases in temperature because they are near their maximum temperature tolerance. Yields of both kharif and rabi crops decreased as temperature increased; a 2°C increase resulted in 15-17 per cent decrease in the grain yield of both crops, but beyond that the decrease was very high in wheat. Most of the simulation studies have shown a decrease in the duration and yield of crops as temperature increased in different parts of India.