Climate Variability Impact on Rice Production: Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Rice feeds half of humanity. Global climate change has given rise to food security issues. Changes in temperature and rainfall may affect the yield of rice as its water requirement is higher than other crops. Though rice is adaptable to a variety of environments, seasonal rainfall variability, and even at times complete absence of rainfall, are major issues in rice growing areas. This chapter discusses problems in the rice growing areas and possible solutions. The need of the hour is to find new strategies and ways to exploit the genetic yield potential of rice. Water use efficiency improvement is vital for the crop so that it may be grown under water-limiting conditions. The crop may be improved by selection and breeding techniques as well as molecular and biotechnological techniques. Crop management for enhanced water use efficiency has great significance. Production systems such as the system of rice intensification (SRI), alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD), aerobic rice system (ARS), raised beds and ground cover rice production system (GCRPS) to enhance water use efficiency are beneficial. Incorporation of the C4 photosynthetic pathway into rice is another approach to increase rice yield for food security problems in future. The conversion of rice from C3 to C4 will enhance the yield of the crop. All these techniques can help tackle the problems of water scarcity and food security.