Climatic warming on productivity of rice

Early, medium and late duration rice were sown at monthly intervals and the crops exposed to varied temperature, radiation and relative humidity levels. During the wet season, an increase in temperatures by 4°C per day over normal, did not effect growth duration and productivity. Nature of warming was quantified and termed as Atmospheric Warming Units (AWUs). As the AWUs were increasing, there was marginal increase in crop growth duration, biomass and productivity. It was felt that increase in atmospheric warming at the envisaged levels upto 2025 AD, may not adversely effect indica rices.