Association of Agrometeorologists

Yield and duration of potato crop in Bihar under projected climate scenarios

A.ABDUL HARIS, V. CHHABRA, B.P. BHATT and A. K. SIKKA

The impact of projected climate during 2020-2080 on the potential yield of potato in Bihar has been analysed using InfoCrop model. Data from field experiments conducted at Patna, with popular potato variety Kufri Ashoka grown in rabi season of 2008-09 through 2010-11, was used for calibration and validation of model. It is indicated that increased minimum and maximum temperature projected for future time periods, however, almost no change in rainfall is projected for the stations under studied. The crop planted on 2nd December, showed projected decline in yield ranging from 3.3-5.9% for 2020, 12.5- 15% for 2050 and 19.3-24.8% for 2080 time period across the locations studied. Delayed planting by 10 days successively from 2nd December through 22nd December showed a progressively lower decline in the projected yield at different locations. However, advancing the planting time by 10 days resulted in higher decline in projected yield. W eather data analysis performed for the crop season (NovemberFebruary).

Climate change, crop yield, crop duration, potato