Climate-Resilient Horticulture: Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

314 Pages·2013·6.3 MB·English

by  Dr. Harish Chandra Prasad Singh (auth.)

Harish Chandra Prasad Singh
Nadipynayakanahally Krishnamurthy Srinivasa Rao
Kodthalu Seetharamaiah Shivashankara
Editors
Climate-Resilient
Horticulture:
Adaptation and
Mitigation
Strategies
Climate-Resilient Horticulture:
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

Harish Chandra Prasad Singh
Nadipynayakanahally Krishnamurthy
Srinivasa Rao
Kodthalu Seetharamaiah Shivashankara
Editors
Climate-Resilient
Horticulture: Adaptation
and Mitigation Strategies
Editors
Harish Chandra Prasad Singh Nadipynayakanahally Krishnamurthy
Division of Horticulture Srinivasa Rao
Indian Council of Agricultural Research Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
New Delhi , India Indian Institute of Horticultural Research
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Kodthalu Seetharamaiah Shivashankara
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry
Indian Institute of Horticultural Research
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
ISBN 978-81-322-0973-7 ISBN 978-81-322-0974-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-0974-4
Springer New Delhi Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London
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Foreword

I am happy that our scientists have started taking anticipatory action to
checkmate the adverse impact of climate change. India is in the midst of a
horticultural revolution. Already we are producing over 250 million tonnes
of fruits and vegetables. We will probably produce over 350 million tonnes
of horticultural products by 2020. This should have a good impact both on
farmers’ income and consumers’ nutrition security.
The areas which need anticipatory research are increase in mean tempera-
ture, adverse changes in precipitation leading to the more frequent occur-
rence of drought and fl ood and the rise in sea level affecting adversely the
coastal agriculture and horticulture. Along the coast, coconut and cashew
nut grow well. We will have to analyse crop by crop the potential impact of
climate change on their productivity, pro fi tability and sustainability. There is
also a need for participatory research with farmers in order to develop and
implement drought and fl ood codes. Both adaptation and mitigation strate-
gies will have to be popularised. I wish to congratulate the Confederation of
Horticulture Association of India on their initiative in compiling very useful
information in the form of a book titled “Climate-resilient horticulture: adoption
and mitigation strategies”.
Climate change will be a mega catastrophe. On the other hand, every
calamity also opens up opportunities to checkmate genetically and agronomi-
cally potential adverse situations. I thank Dr. H P Singh for his vision in getting
such a book published. I hope the book will be widely read and used by
professionals, policy makers, farmers, university scholars and the public.
Research Foundation , Third Cross Street, M.S. Swaminathan
Taramani Institutional Area, Chennai 600 113 , India
vv

Preface

Climate change, a global phenomenon, is a concern for food and nutritional
security of growing population, expected to be 9.5 billion at the end of 2050,
and has attracted global, regional and national dialogues for mitigation and
adoption strategies. The likely effects stipulated are occurrence of drought
and fl oods, change in rainfall pattern and sudden change in temperatures,
which will have impact on the growth pattern of plant, fl owering, fruiting and
yield and quality of produce, besides increasing vulnerabilities to pest and
diseases. How to handle the challenges of climate change in terms of adapta-
tion and mitigation strategies is a point of discussion in the programmes of
the governments, globally. Adaptive mechanisms through the development of
new crops, cultivars and technologies are also a priority research agenda for
most of the research organisations. Since impact of climate change will
largely depend on current agro-climatic conditions, cropping pattern and
socio-economic conditions, solution to the problems arising out of it requires
local analysis, planning and management. Horticulture, along with wide
arrays of crops, may have differential responses: some may bene fi t from
higher amount of carbon dioxide, while fl owering and fruiting may not occur;
some crops may extend in area due to less occurrence of frost, while some
crops may shift from mid hills to upper hills. Therefore, understanding the
impacts in a given crop under speci fi c situation becomes inevitable in horti-
culture as most of the horticultural crops are long duration or perennial in
nature. This necessitates a thorough analysis and understanding about climate
change at regional levels in relation to both annual and perennial horticultural
crops, which could be managed through innovation, technology evaluation
and re fi nement to provide effective solutions. Methodologies for analysis in
many crops are now available. Mathematical models have been developed
using available basic data on the crop response to different climatic factors,
which have the potential to predict likely impact as well as suggest ways to
overcome the problems to some extent, suggesting that impact will differ
from region to region, depending upon current ecological and climatic condi-
tions. With a rise in temperature, shifting of apple-growing areas, altering of
phenological stages of fruit trees and changing of quality of horticultural pro-
duce with respect to carotenoids and anthocyanins are taking place. Growth
stages are shortening, leading to early maturity and reduction in yield.
Evidences also suggest that with a rise in carbon dioxide concentration, there
could be an enhanced photosynthesis and ultimately higher biological yield,
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provided water and nutrients are managed effectively. However, increase in
temperature may alter the photosynthate partitioning and phenology of
fl owering, and new pathogens and insect pests may emerge. Development
of high-temperature tolerant cultivars, change in production systems and
use of new tools and technology would help in adaption to climate change.
The potential of perennial fruit and plantation crops for higher carbon
sequestration provides an opportunity to be a sink for increased carbon diox-
ide and, additionally, opportunity for soil carbon sequestration. Interior and
exterior landscape gardening has proven bene fi t in reducing carbon concen-
tration. Taking stock of current knowledge about the effect of climate
variables and their synthesis for new knowledge in relation to climate change
is imperative for adaptive strategies. Accordingly, analysis was made in a
series of expert consultations and national dialogues, which enhanced the
knowledge about impact of climate change on horticultural crops and also
provided guidance to adoptive strategies for different crops in many ago-
climatic conditions. The present book, Climate-Resilient Horticulture: Adaptive
and Mitigation Strategies, is a treasure of knowledge on horticultural crops,
contributed by experts in the fi eld. The book contains chapters covering
impact analysis for the regions and crops. The chapters also cover impact on
pollinators, pests and diseases and landscape gardening for climate change
mitigation. We are sure that this book will be a major source of information
for all concerned with climate change in horticulture.
We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Dr. S. Ayyappan,
Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and Director
General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India, for his
guidance and support. Our thanks are extended to all the contributors for their
inputs and timely submission of the chapters. Thanks are due to Mrs. Shobha
Rani for secretarial assistance and Mrs. Hema Malini and Mrs. Malarvizhi for
their assistance in the compilation of the information. Review of manuscript
by Dr. Babita Singh, Professor of Horticulture, Amity University, is thank-
fully acknowledged. We are also grateful to all those who helped, directly or
indirectly, in bringing out this valuable book.
H.P. Singh, N.K. Srinivasa Rao,
and K.S. Shivashankara
About the Editors
Dr. Harish Chandra Prasad Singh , with his rare combination of scienti fi c
excellence, conscientious administration, dynamic management skills and
academic depth, in the career spanning 41 years, has outstandingly contrib-
uted to research, development and academics. Dynamic leadership of Dr. Singh
has earned him national and international recognitions. He is the recipient of
three international and 35 national awards and nine fellowships, including the
fellowship of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has provided a
new dimension to horticultural research and development and human
resources, leading to horticulture revolution in the country. His visionary
approach with zeal and commitment for achieving excellence and exemplary
skill of management has brought dynamisms to the positions that he held
(Deputy Director General (Hort.), ICAR (2007–2012); Vice-Chancellor,
RAU, Pusa, Bihar (2005–2007); Dean, College of Agriculture, GBPUA&T,
Pantnagar (2004–2005); Horticulture Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture
(1997–2003); Chairman, Coconut Development Board, Cochin; Director,
National Research Centre on Banana, Trichy (1993–1997); and Project
Coordinator (fruits), IIHR, Bangalore), leading to optimisation of output,
outcome and delivery. Dr. Singh has also provided international leaderships
as chairman of international organisations as well as committees. He is
af fi liated with many professional associations/societies as chairman, presi-
dent, vice-president and general secretary. He has authored and edited 57
books, 30 bulletins, 50 reports and more than 300 scienti fi c papers. He is the
editor-in-chief of International Journal of Innovative Horticulture, published
by CHAI. He has widely travelled in India and abroad, has been a keynote
speaker in international and national conferences and has organising capacity
par excellence. Currently, he is the founder and chairman of Confederation of
Horticulture Associations of India (CHAI).
Dr. Nadipynayakanahally Krishnamurthy Srinivasa Rao , ex Principal
Scientist (Plant Physiology) and emeritus scientist, belongs to the fi rst batch
of Agricultural Research Service. He has passed ARS examination with the
fi rst rank and then joined ICAR service in 1976 at Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research, Bangalore. He has contributed signi fi cantly to the
understanding of the mechanism of abiotic stress tolerance in horticultural
crops. He was associated with the release of one important tomato variety
Arka Meghali, recommended for cultivation under rainfed conditions, with
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