Studies on Maize Potential in Bihar under Climate Change Scenario: Impact and Adaptation

Agriculture sector depends on climate and climatic resources leading to the special stress upon the need to study impacts of climate change on agricultural production at local, regional, national as well as on global scales. Decision Support Systems or Crop Models provide a way, where the relative effects of these variables on crop growth and yield can be studied. Elevated CO2 and changes in temperature, besides affecting the crop affects the environment which in turn may have either beneficial or damaging effect on agricultural production. For this study three stations were selected, representing different zones (Pusa, zone I; Madhepura, zone II and Patna, zone III). Simulated yield of kharif maize decreased from baseline for all the future time periods and stations. Advanced sowing combined with irrigation and higher dose of nitrogen may be helpful to compensate the reduction in future time periods. Simulated yield of winter maize showed an increase from baseline and maximum increase (9, 16 and 30% respectively for 2020, 2050 and 2080) was observed in Pusa. Adaptation options, such as intensification of winter maize cultivation in locations of low wheat productivity and better agronomic management needs to be looked into for food security in this region