Climate Change Implications for Rice Cultivation

The inter-linkage between climate change and agriculture are multidimensional and complex. Crop response to climate change depends on the location specific baseline climate and soil condition thus; no consensus has emerged so far on how rice production will be affected by climate change impact in India. SRI methods have been implemented for more robust and healthy plants and the larger and deeper root systems. Climate change might have some adverse impacts on rice production that has been reflected in several literatures. As per Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, there will be a decline in Asian rice production due to climate change impact. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has indicated one-degree increase in temperature could cause a reduction of 10 percent in rice yield. Climate directly influences the physiological processes of rice plant’s growth, development and grain formation. Indirectly, climate influences the incidence of crop pests, diseases and hence, and grain yields. A skilful seasonal prediction will likely become significantly essential to provide the necessary information to guide agriculture management to mitigate the compounding impacts of soil moisture variability and temperature stress in rice cultivation.