Dynamics of Dry Spells and their Impact on Crop Productivity

The amount, intensity, and frequency of precipitation mainly govern agricultural production in rainfed areas. However, the changing climatic patterns cause various unexpected weather events like wet spells, dry spells, droughts, floods, etc. For rainfed regions, dry spells that lasted from a week to a month led to more pronounced effects followed by droughts and other hazards. All the physiological traits, biochemical processes in plants, and morphological traits are being negatively affected due to the increasing dry spells which ultimately affect the yield potential of crops. The detailed study of the dry spells helps in deciding a particular variety or crop, irrigation water demand, and drought interpretation for a particular region. To cope with the negative effects of dry spells, it is important to make wise decisions regarding the choice of crops, irrigation water demand, and drought interpretation. Thus, measures like providing life-saving irrigation, using the naturally available water wisely, rainwater harvesting, use of short-duration varieties, following weather advisories, etc. can be regarded as the most consecutive remedies to maintain the yield potential of the crops. This review paper helps in understanding the causes of erratic precipitation patterns, more detail about the characteristics and types of dry spells, their effect on crops, and adaptation strategies to sustain crop production in rainfed regions of India.