Agro-climatic Parameters Research Articles

Impact of Microclimatic Factors on the Growth Stages of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L) Agro-Ecosystem for Betterment of Arid Zone Farming in the North-Western Arid Region of Rajasthan

The present study was done to understand the influence of microclimatic factors on the growth stages of sesame in the rain fed regions, of north-western arid region of district Bikaner (Rajasthan) India. The present study includes the following parameters: 1. Air temperature in °C, relative humidity in percentage and vapour pressure in mm of mercury at the ground surface and at different heights (5 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm, 60 cm and 100 cm). 2. Soil temperature in °C at ground surface and at different depths (5 cm, 15 cm and 30 cm). 3. Net radiations in g.cal/cm2/minute. These agro-climatic parameters have been recorded on various stages viz. vegetative growth stages, flowering stage, (i.e., at 50% flowering) and capsule stage (i.e., at 50% capsule formation) by visual rating at different times of that day (i.e., 8.00, 14.00 and 18.00 hours in the kharif season of year 2014, 2015 and 2016 The research site was located in crop field of sesame at village Ridmalsar lying 20 km in North-East to the city Bikaner, Rajasthan, India and the investigation was carried out in randomized block design with six replications. Each replication was separated with a path of 1.0 m. and each sub-plot was separated by 50 cm path. The sesame variety studied was RT46 as this variety was introduced in last few years and was famous between local farmers for it drought resistant property, early maturity and high disease resistant quality. To study the influence of these parameters the climatic history of last ten year and also the water budget was analyzed. The meteorological data’s were collected from KVK and the regional center of CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute Beechwal), Bikaner (Rajasthan). It can be concluded from present study that air temperature in profile, relative humidity distribution and also vapour pressure in the microclimatic zone (sesame agro-ecosystem) of the atmosphere varies with changes in the time of day (morning, noon and afternoon), change in height of profile (5, 15, 30, 60 and 100 cm ) and stages of crop. The net radiation values also show increase from morning to noon in all the different stages of growth.

A critical analysis of agro-climatic parameters: Soil temprature, air temperature, relative humidity, vapour pressure and net radiation in agro-ecosystem of Sesamum indicum L. in north-western arid region of Rajasthan

Climate is a major component of the environmental complex. In general, climate, as understood by the early Greek scientists, includes the general condition of the atmosphere such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind and other variables. The agroecosystem in the present study includes the following parameters: 1. Air temperature in°C, relative humidity in percentage and vapour pressure in mm of mercury at the ground surface and at different heights (5, 15, 30, 60 and 100 cm), 2. Soil temperature in°C at ground surface and at different depths (5, 15 and 30 cm) and 3. Net radiation in g.cal/cm2/min. These agro-climatic parameters were recorded on various stages viz., vegetative growth stages, flowering stage (i. e. at 50% flowering) and capsule stage (i. e. at 50% capsule formation by visual rating) at different times of that day i. e. 8.00, 14.00 and 18.00 h in the year 2016 at research site which was located in crop field of sesame at village Ridmalsar lying 20 km in north-east to the city Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. It can be concluded from present study that air temperature in profile, relative humidity distribution and also vapour pressure in the microclimatic zone (sesame agro-ecosystem) of the atmosphere varies with changes in the time of day (morning, noon and afternoon), change in height of profile (5, 15, 30, 60 and 100 cm) and stages of crop. The net radiation values also show increase from morning to noon in all the different stages of growth.

Increasing Yield of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum Linn.) through Improved Production Technology in Kalaburagi District of Karnataka

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum Linn.) is most important pulse crop in Karnataka state. The productivity of chickpea is low because of non adoption of available technologies by the farmers. Hence, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kalaburagi conducted 149 demonstrations at farmers’ field during the last 6 years showing improved production technology. The results revealed variation in the yield obtained probably due to variation in agro-climatic parameters under rainfed condition. The highest yield of FLDs plots of chick pea achieved by adopting improved production technology was 12.87q/ha compared to farmers’ practice (10.06 q/ha). Adoption of improved production technology increased yield by 27.80 per cent over farmers’ practices. The average technological gap, extension gap and technological index were calculated as 7.13 q/ha, 2.81 q/ha and 35.65 per cent, respectively. The economical parameters indicated that net profit of Rs. 33, 213/-ha was recorded under FLDs plot over farmer practices Rs 24, 095/-ha.

Assessement of the Relationship Between Increase in Heigth of Cassava Growth Rate and Agro-Climatic Parameters in Ilorin Area of Kwara State, Nigeria

Cassava is primarily produced for food in its various forms and Nigeria has been recognized as the largest producer of the crop in the world. Despite the impacts of various weather parameters on crop production, Cassava can still withstand harsh conditions making it a key crop for protecting small holder farming against climate change. This paper therefore examined the relationship between increase in height of Cassava growth rate and agro climatic parameters. The agro climatic indices appraised were Rainfall, Relative humidity, Temperature and wind speed. Interrelationship between these agro climatic variables and increase in the height of growth rate of Cassava was computed using regression analysis. It was discovered that the four agro climatic variables had relationship with one another at either 95% significant level or 99% level. It was also revealed that there is 75% at 95% significant level in the rate of increase in height and yield of Cassava which was accounted for by relative humidity. It was therefore concluded that increase in the height rate and yield of Cassava due to relative humidity was as a result of combined effects of the three other climatic parameters.

Front line demonstration: Enhancing the productivity of pigeonpea employing raised bed method over conventional techniques

The front line demonstration (FLD) was conducted by the KrishiVigyan Kendra, Azamgarh (ND University of Agriculture and Technology, Faizabad) UP on pigeonpea employing raised bed method with improved package of practices at 20 farmer fields in the district for three consecutive years viz ., 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. The present study reveals that increasing trends were observed with yield of demonstrated farmers’ fields along with per cent increase in yield over conventional practices in each progressive year. The highest grain yield (16.85 q ha -1 ) was found in 2013-14 which was very close to yield obtained in 2012-13. The lowest yield (13.1q ha -1 ) was recorded in the year 2011-12 under demonstration when compared to traditional pigeonpea production system which resulted more than succeeding year 2011-12 in farmers practice. The increasing trend in the per cent increase of yield was found due to variation in agro-climatic parameters under rainfed condition. Other parameters were also analysed for feasibly of demonstrated technology at ground reality level. The results of FLD demonstration showed positive impacts over the current practices used for enhancing the productivity of pigeonpea and proved as an eco-friendly and cost effective technology.

The morphometric parameters of seeds of genus Echinacea Moench representatives and their association with agrometeorological factors

Purpose. To study morphometric parameters of fruits (cypselae) of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench) of ‘Zirka Mykoly Vavylova’ cultivar and pale coneflower (Echinacea pallida (Nutt.) Nutt) of ‘Krasunia Prerii’ cultivar and determine the impact of agro-meteorological factors on their performance according to long-term data. Methods. Laboratory, Mathematics and Statistics. Results. It was found that the parameters of cypselae and its weight in various types of coneflowers varied considerably from year to year. In this context the indicators of cypselae width and thickness had a larger variability as compared with the length. Mean length of Echinacea purpurea ranged from 4,57 to 6,16 mm, width – 2,30–2,97 mm, thickness – 1,74–2,28 mm. Weight of a cypselae made up 4,40–6,50 mg. Length of a fruit of Echinacea pallida was 4,57–5,74 mm, width – 2,51–3,18 mm, thickness – 1,76–2,37 mm, and a fruit weight varied from 5,65 to 7,70 mg. The correlation analysis revealed reliable connection of agro-climatic parameters and the parameters of the fruit. Conclusions. Using long-term data, the morphology of cypselaes of two Echinacea species introduced to Ukraine were studied, their basic parameters and the variability of indicators, connection with agro-climatic factors that is necessary to consider in crop growing for seeds .

Influence of agroclimatic parameters on phenolic and volatile compounds of Chilean virgin olive oils and characterization based on geographical origin, cultivar and ripening stage.

This study involved two commercial orchards located in Limarí Valley and Molina from two important Chilean production zones of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The investigation evaluated the effects of climate, soil composition, agricultural practices (fertilization and irrigation) and variety (considering two harvests) on the compounds responsible for the flavor of EVOO (volatiles and phenols) and how these compounds can explain the differences in chemical profiles by geographical origin, cultivar and fruit ripeness stage. Varieties from the Limarí Valley presented the highest content of phenolic compounds. A significant relationship (P < 0.05) between volatile compounds and climate indicated that the compounds produced via the lipoxygenase cascade were affected by the maximum temperature and, to a lesser extent, by evapo-transpiration and irrigation. The selection of different individual phenolic and volatile compounds independently allowed the significant differentiation of EVOOs, principally by geographical origin, crop season, fruit ripeness stage and, in a few cases, by cultivar. Soil and climate of the Chilean regions have much more influence than cultivars on the concentration of sensory quality compounds. Difference in latitude between orchards increases the importance of the geographical origin on the virgin olive oil chemical composition while full irrigation decreases the impact of the cultivar.

The implications of a changing climate on agricultural land classification in England and Wales

SUMMARYThe agricultural land classification (ALC) of England and Wales is a formal method of assessing the quality of agricultural land and guiding future land use. It assesses several soil, site and climate criteria and classifies land according to whichever is the most limiting. A common approach is required for calculating the necessary agroclimatic parameters over time in order to determine the effects of changes in the climate on land grading. In the present paper, climatic parameters required by the ALC classification have been re-calculated from a range of primary climate data, available from the Meteorological Office's UKCP09 historical dataset, provided as 5 km rasters for every month from 1914 to 2000. Thirty-year averages of the various agroclimatic properties were created for 1921–50, 1931–60, 1941–70, 1951–80, 1961–90 and 1971–2000. Soil records from the National Soil Inventory on a 5 km grid across England and Wales were used to determine the required soil and site parameters for determining ALC grade. Over the 80-year period it was shown that the overall climate was coolest during 1951–80. However, the area of land estimated in retrospect as ‘best and most versatile (BMV) land’ (Grades 1, 2 and 3a) probably peaked in the 1951–80 period as the cooler climate resulted in fewer droughty soils, more than offsetting the land which was downgraded by the climate being too cold. Overall there has been little change in the proportions of ALC grades among the six periods once all 10 factors (climate, gradient, flooding, texture, depth, stoniness, chemical, soil wetness, droughtiness and erosion) are taken into account. This is because it is rare for changes in climate variables all to point in the same direction in terms of ALC. Thus, a reduction in rainfall could result in higher grades in wetter areas but lead to lower classification in drier areas.

Climate change impacts on winter wheat yield change – which climatic parameters are crucial in Pannonian lowland?

SUMMARYOne of the main problems in estimating the effects of climate change on crops is the identification of those factors limiting crop growth in a selected environment. Previous studies have indicated that considering simple trends of either precipitation or temperature for the coming decades is insufficient for estimating the climate impact on yield in the future. One reason for this insufficiency is that changes in weather extremes or seasonal weather patterns may have marked impacts.The present study focuses on identifying agroclimatic parameters that can identify the effects of climate change and variability on winter wheat yield change in the Pannonian lowland. The impacts of soil type under past and future climates as well as the effect of different CO2 concentrations on yield formation are also considered. The Vojvodina region was chosen for this case study because it is a representative part of the Pannonian lowland.Projections of the future climate were taken from the HadCM3, ECHAM5 and NCAR-PCM climate models with the SRES-A2 scenario for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the 2040 and 2080 integration periods. To calibrate and validate the Met&amp;Roll weather generator, four-variable weather data series (for six main climatic stations in the Vojvodina region) were analysed. The grain yield of winter wheat was calculated using the SIRIUS wheat model for three different CO2 concentrations (330, 550 and 1050 ppm) dependent on the integration period. To estimate the effects of climatic parameters on crop yield, the correlation coefficient between crop yield and agroclimatic indices was calculated using the AGRICLIM software. The present study shows that for all soil types, the following indices are the most important for winter wheat yields in this region: (i) the number of days with water and temperature stress, (ii) the accumulated precipitation, (iii) the actual evapotranspiration (ETa) and (iv) the water deficit during the growing season. The high positive correlations between yield and the ETa, accumulated precipitation and the ratio between the ETa and reference evapotranspiration (ETr) for the April–June period indicate that water is and will remain a major limiting factor for growing winter wheat in this region. Indices referring to negative impact on yield are (i) the number of days with a water deficit for the April–June period and (ii) the number of days with maximum temperature above 25 °C (summer days) and the number of days with maximum temperature above 30 °C (tropical days) in May and June. These indices can be seen as indicators of extreme weather events such as drought and heat waves.

Temporal and Spatial Changes of the Agroclimate in Alberta, Canada, from 1901 to 2002

Abstract This paper analyzes the long-term (1901–2002) temporal trends in the agroclimate of Alberta, Canada, and explores the spatial variations of the agroclimatic resources and the potential crop-growing area in Alberta. Nine agroclimatic parameters are investigated: May–August precipitation (PCPN), the start of growing season (SGS), the end of the growing season (EGS), the length of the growing season (LGS), the date of the last spring frost (LSF), the date of the first fall frost (FFF), the length of the frost-free period (FFP), growing degree-days (GDDs), and corn heat units (CHUs). The temporal trends in the agroclimatic parameters are analyzed by using linear regression. The significance tests of the trends are made by using Kendall’s tau method. The results support the following conclusions. 1) The Alberta PCPN has increased 14% from 1901 to 2002, and the increment is the largest in the north and the northwest of Alberta, then diminishes (or even becomes negative over two small areas) in central and southern Alberta, and finally becomes large again in the southeast corner of the province. 2) No significant long-term trends are found for the SGS, EGS, and LGS. 3) An earlier LSF, a later FFF, and a longer FFP are obvious all over the province. 4) The area with sufficient CHU for corn production, calculated according to the 1973–2002 normal, has extended to the north by about 200–300 km, when compared with the 1913–32 normal, and by about 50–100 km, when compared with the 1943–72 normal; this expansion implies that the potential exists to grow crops and raise livestock in more regions of Alberta than was possible in the past. The annual total precipitation follows a similar increasing trend to that of the May–August precipitation, and the percentile analysis of precipitation attributes the increase to low-intensity events. The changes of the agroclimatic parameters imply that Alberta agriculture has benefited from the last century’s climate change.

Relationships between agro/morphological characters and climatic parameters in Spanish landraces of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

One hundred and one Spanish landraces of lentil maintained in the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (CRF) and coming from different micro-climatic areas were evaluated for 16 morphological characters. Origin zones were classified following Papadakis agro-climatic parameters and the relationships between climatic data zones and morphological traits were analysed. The results indicated that a great part of the landraces came from temperate areas with dry Mediterranean moisture regime. Most of the varieties had plant pigmentation, slight leaf pubescence, white flowers with blue or violet veins, green testa without pattern and yellow cotyledons. Two clear morphological groups based on seed characters could be established coinciding with Barulina's description for the macrosperma and microspermatypes. Other traits of high agronomic importance as phenology and plant height showed less usefulness in discriminating accessions. Characters related to seed and productivity had most correlation with climate of the origin sites, while phenology and plant height did not show significant correlations. The climatic variables related with extreme temperatures were more effective than average temperatures or rainfall to explain the morphological variability. The agro-climatic patterns detected seems to be due to the geographical location of the two morphological lentil groups in zones with different climatic conditions, indicating that lentil landraces must be migrated following criteria related with seed characters preferred by farmers.

The CHIPS System for Satellite Image Processing

Kjeld Rasmussen, Henrik Steen Andersen, Jens Grundtmann, Bjarne Fog and Lasse Møller-Jensen: The CHIPS System for Satellite Image Processing. Geografisk Tidsskrift, Danish Journal of Geography 94:xx-xx. Copenhagen, Dec. 1994. CHIPS, a software system for satellite image processing and analysis has been developed at The Institute of Geography, University of Copenhagen. The background, philosophy and objectives of this development effort will be briefly presented. In recent years emphasis has been put on the development of methodologies for remote sensing of environment and agriculture in Third World countries. This includes both land cover/use mapping using high resolution satellite images and applications of low resolution satellite data. This paper will give examples of research applications of CHIPS within different fields, and illustrate how the requirements, defined by this research, influence its contents and development. The presented examples include the use of SPOT, Landsat and ERS-1 SAR data for land Cover mapping in Denmark and Third World countries, and monitoring of agroclimatic parameters, vegetation, crops and bush fires based on NOAA AVHRR data. Finally, the current plans for the development of CHIPS will be presented.

Studies on the impact of winter climate on rubber and wheat cultivation in the mountains of southern China, applying a fuzzy cluster analysis

Data from climatic stations in China, located south of 30° N and > 400 m above sea-level, were analysed in order to study the relationship with winter climate, on the one hand, and with rubber and winter wheat cultivation, on the other. Three relevant agroclimatic parameters were investigated for January, namely mean temperature, precipitation total and sunshine duration. By applying a fuzzy cluster analysis, three agroclimatic regions were found in winter; the boundaries coincide with the macro-scale topography of southern China. In one case the boundary even corresponds with the position of the Kunming quasi-stationary front. Winter climate in the three agroclimatic regions was found to show a different pattern, hence gives evidence to different conditions during overwintering of crops. The affects were analysed of regional climatic conditions in January on growth and yield of rubber and winter wheat.

Relationship of Agroclimatic Parameters to High Density Grain Production

Relationship of Agroclimatic Parameters to High Density Grain Production

The climatic potential for beef cattle production in tropical Australia: Part IV— variation in seasonal and annual productivity

In Part II liveweight loss in the dry season was found in most years to be closely related to cumulative ‘dry weeks’; extraordinary weight loss occurred in the dry season in years in which there were a low number of ‘growth weeks’ in the previous green season. Annual liveweight gain was related to the total number of ‘green weeks’. In this paper the geographic variation in these three agro-climatic parameters is described using a network of 77 stations across northern Australia, and the year-to-year variability is examined for eight representative stations. Variation in dry season severity was greater than variation in green season productivity (growth weeks). Median ‘dry weeks’ in the dry season varied from 29 to nil over the area. ‘Green weeks’ in the dry season as a result of winter rain is an important phenomenon in a relatively small part of the area, but in this area year-to-year variability is extremely high. It is concluded that the objectives of the study, to extend existing agro-climatic methodology to interface with cattle production and to use this in surveying the climatic potential for this form of land use over the entire tropical region of Australia, were achieved to the extent that the existing animal production data allow.

An agroclimatic procedure to determine growing seasons for vegetables

Phenological and temperature normals from principal U.S. producing areas were used to develop agroclimatic parameters to estimate earliest and latest planting and harvest dates for fifteen vegetable species. Indices to estimate freeze probabilities at seedling emergence were also developed. A computer program using monthly means of maximum and minimum temperature as input provided estimates of daily temperatures, growing-degree-days and germination-rate-indices needed for growing-season estimates.