Impact of Climate Change on Pulse Production and it’s Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as one of the major environmental issue due to it’s subsequent effect on food production and food security. The changing climate over the years posing a major impact on rainfed crops including pulses. India, the largest producer of Pulses over the world with 25% share in global pulse production are largely dependent on pulses that grows in rainfed areas. As a result, climate change are predicted to be more pronounced in these crops. Increasing concentration of greenhouse gases like CO2 act as catalyst on enhancing global temperature which in term affecting heat-sensitive Pulse crops. Such a scenario emanating from the climate change presents a veritable challenge to the food and feed economy [1].
 Pulses are one of the most important food crops which serve as main source of vegetable protein in human diet. In the recent scenario, we are observing a declining growth rate in pulse production. Inadequate and erratic rainfall, abrupt rise in temperature, untimely drought are posing threat to pulse production. Shift in monsoon causes delayed sowing of kharif crops as it’s consequence sowing of pulse crops in rabi season also get delayed. Delayed sown crops face terminal heat during it’s phenological growth which reduces it’s potential yield, on the other hand untimely rainfall in it’s reproductive growth period during the month of Feb-Mar reduces the yield drastically [2]. Other problems like salinity, waterlogging also act as menace in pulse cultivation. Last but not the least, changing climate often facilitates pest-disease infestation, weed emergence which can cause a huge reduction in crop yield.
 To meet these emerging challenges of climate change, there is an urgent need of developing proper mitigation strategies combining with Agronomic and breeding approaches. Intervention of Government policy and crop insurance scheme along with proper alleviation strategies will definitely contribute in stabilization of yield of pulse crops in near future.

Evaluation of Lentil Genotypes in Different Sowing Windows in the New Alluvial Zone of West Bengal

“…This variation in yield may be attributed to several obstacles, such as a lack of high-quality seeds, a lag in sowing, biotic and abiotic pressures and a knowledge gap in technology, which are faced by farmers during pulse production (Bera, 2021). In the eastern India particularly in West Bengal, lentil is not very much favoured as a Rabi crop due to it's low productivity and sensitivity to the barriers.…”

Demand and Supply Projections for Pulses in India

“…The gap between demand and supply of pulses is widening which necessitated the import of pulses at the rate of 2.4 million tonnes in 2021-22 (Kumar et al, 2023). On the consumption side, changing dietary pattern of the consumers resulted in increased demand for the protein rich foods including pulses in the country (Bera, 2021;Dev and Sharma, 2010). The consumption shares of pulses vary from state to state and regional preferences for the variety of pulses are varying across the consumer group in the county.…”

Influence of Climate Resilient Technologies in Blackgram Productivity and Its Adoption in Low Rainfall Areas of Karaipottanar Sub Basin in Tiruchirapalli District in Tamil Nadu, India

“…So getting sustainability in pulse productivity and to have additional income per unit area, all these problems need to be solved. To meet these emerging challenges of climate change, there is an urgent need for developing promising technologies for mitigation and adaptation to combat adverse impacts of climate change [13]. Hence the present interventions were under taken to increase the pulse production in rainfed situation.…”