Challenges and Solutions
The Kashmir Valley, long known for its lush green fields and vibrant agricultural production, is now grappling with the unrelenting effects of climate change. The region, which produces a variety of vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, cucurbits, carrots, peas, and cabbage, has seen drastic change in its agricultural landscape over the past few years. The impact of rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and unseasonal weather patterns is posing a serious threat to vegetable production. It is leading to reduced yields, increased costs and heightened uncertainty for local farmers. Climate change is manifesting in Kashmir through a rise in average temperatures and more unpredictable weather patterns. According to studies, the last few decades have seen a steady increase in both the minimum and maximum temperatures across the region. This temperature shift, especially in the crucial growing months of March to September, has disrupted the planting cycles of vegetables. Kashmir traditionally enjoys a temperate climate, making it ideal for growing a diverse range of vegetables.
However, the warming trend has shortened the growing seasons for many crops, causing plants to either mature too early or fail to grow altogether. The increased atmospheric temperature compels the crops to face heat stress which causes morphological, physiological and biochemical changes that affect crop growth and yield. Although heat stress affects all the developmental stages viz. seed germination, vegetative, and reproductive stages of plants, but the most significant damage occurs at the reproductive stage. Some of the typical effects of heat stress under our conditions include shift in the flowering pattern in cucurbits, such as induction of male flowers, which causes a reduction in yield. In vegetables like tomato, chilli, capsicum temperatures above 35°C, causes flower and fruit drop, decreasing yields drastically. In case of peas, the temperature above 28°C causes a reduction in yield and particularly short-duration cultivars are more vulnerable. In addition to heat stress the frequency and intensity of rainfall in Kashmir have become increasingly erratic. While some areas face extended dry spells, others are witnessing heavy and unseasonal downpours. This unpredictable rainfall severely impacts vegetable farming, which depends on timely and adequate irrigation.
Management strategies under changing climate scenario
There is a need for continuous efforts to sustain vegetable productivity under the changing climate scenario. The adoption of appropriate crop management practices and climate-resilient crops would help immensely in dealing with the adverse impacts of heat and moisture stress.
Alterations in Cultivation Practices
Shifting of planting dates can be used as a quick adaptation strategy to counter crop yield losses in locations where episodes of low rainfall and high temperatures are anticipated. Advance sowing to avoid high temperature and moisture stress can be adopted e.g., planting of potato in 2nd fortnight of February in plains and March in higher altitudes. Sowing of peas in March for off season pea cultivation in high altitude areas. Water-saving irrigation methods such as drip irrigation in crops like cucurbits, tomato, chili, capsicum and brinjal and sprinkler irrigation in crops like onion, carrot, radish and beetroot can be adopted in areas where water availability is limited.
Agronomic practices like contour cultivation, contour strip cropping, mixed cropping, and minimum tillage can be adopted to conserve the in-situ soil moisture in areas that are prone to water deficit stress.
Enhancement of soil organic matter content can also improve the moisture-holding capacity of the soil. This can be achieved by growing green manure crops and incorporation of farm yard manure in soil. Furthermore, soil mulching with natural crop residue or plastic films is another method to conserve soil moisture, which also suppresses weed growth. The impact of water and heat stress in vegetable crops can also be minimized by the appropriate application of nutrients through foliar spray. Spraying of potassium and calcium for instance induces drought tolerance and improves crop yields and quality in vegetable crops.
Protected Cultivation
Cultivation of crops under protected structures such as greenhouses, polyhouses and net or shade houses, protect the crops from unfavorable environmental conditions such as high and low temperatures, drought, flooding stresses. Cultivation of tomato, capsicum and parthenocarpic cucumber under protected structures fetches higher yield and quality fruits.
Selection of suitable crops & varieties
Inclusion of resilient crops like French bean, cowpea, chilli, brinjal, okra, potato, kale, and Swiss chard is an option to combat heat and water stress.
Due to climate change, the frequency of extreme weather events is increasing tremendously. The exposure of vegetable crops to these types of stresses reduces yield and quality. So to sustain the productivity of vegetable crops under changing climatic scenario both adaptation and mitigation strategies are needed. Climate-smart production practices, climate-resilient crops, suitable cultural practices, diversified cropping systems and mulching are required to be adopted to combat the ill effects of climate change.
Dr Syed Faheema Mushtaq, Division of Vegetable Science, Faculty of Horticulture, SKUAST-K
