1Dryland Farming Research Station, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, 311 001, Rajasthan
2Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad - 500 059, Andhra Pradesh
Online published on 22 July, 2013.
An attempt was made to study the cropping pattern and crop diversification in response to climatic changes in Udaipur district of Rajasthan state in India using the moisture index value from the water balance technique, area and production of different crops. Analysis of climatic data reveals that the climate migrated six times into arid from semi-arid climate during the 23 years study period. The average moisture index for the region is (−) 58.02% with a coefficient of variation of 19.9 per cent thus indicating the semi-arid with the probability of semi-arid condition followed by semi-arid condition to be as 60.9 percent and initial probability of semi-arid condition was 74.0 percent. Crop diversification was estimated by applying Herfinadahl index. Changing climatic conditions of the region also resulted into a change in cropping pattern in favour of pulses and oilseeds.
Climatic shifts, Water balance, Drought, Dry sub-humid, Arid, Semi-arid
