382
N. Lalitha
et al. (2017) that a 2 °C increase in temperature and a 7% increase in precipitation
results in a loss of 8.4% of total net-revenue for India. Hence, adaptation to climate
variability and change in the system is imperative to sustain the productivity and
profitability for the farmers in short to medium run. The socio economic impact of
climate change has been crop failure, indebtedness among farmers, reduced quantities
of food available for self-consumption and less community and social support system.
Farmers’ adaptation to changing climate is constrained by several technological,
socio-economic and institutional barriers (Singh et al. 2017). These include limited
knowledge on the costs and benefits of adaptation, lack of access to and knowledge
of adaptation technologies, lack of financial resources and limited information on
changing weather.
The impact of climate change in the horticulture sector include shortened growing
period, resulting in reduced production and quality of fruits and vegetables. Major
observed effects of climate change on mango include early or delayed flowering,
multiple reproductive flushes, transformation of reproductive buds into vegetative
ones, variations in fruit maturity and abnormal fruit set (Malhotra 2017). When the
reproductive buds turn into vegetative ones, the yield declines. Further increase in
temperature during fruit maturity leads to fruit cracking and early ripening of the
fruit. Although mango tree is adapted to dry environments experiencing water stress
and high evaporative demand, the expected increase of drought and vapour pressure
deficit (VPD) would have a negative effect on photosynthesis because of the rapid
stomatal closure of the mango tree due to climate change (Normand et al. 2015). Citing several authors Malhotra (2017) in his review observes that in perennial crops like
mango, temperature has significant influence on flowering phenology. The percentage
of hermaphrodite flowers was greater in late emerging panicles, which coincided with
higher temperatures. During peak bloom period, high temperature (35 °C) accompanied by low relative humidity (49%) and long sunshine hours resulted in excessive
transpiration and dehydration injury to panicles. Leaf scorching and twig dying are
common symptoms of heat stroke in bearing and non-bearing mango plants.
Normand et al. (2015) observe that drought has negative impact on fruit size, the
positive impact is on mango fruit quality as drought increases fruit quality by increasing the sugar concentration of the fruit. In their estimate on the possible consequence
of climate change on mango production in South Asia, Normand et al. (2015) predict
that “the warmer climate during flowering and the warmer and wetter climate during
the season of vegetative rest will probably lead to a lower floral induction. On the
opposite, the hot and wet climate during fruit growth and vegetative growth will
promote good fruit growth and important vegetative growth after harvest. But fruit
quality could be reduced and pests and diseases problems could be accentuated.”
3 Mango Production Scenario in the World and India
More than 80 countries in the world produce mango. India ranks number one in
mango production and has been consistently in the top. However, India’s share in
total world production has declined from 56% in 1985 to 42% in 2013 (Table 1). For
N. Lalitha
et al. (2017) that a 2 °C increase in temperature and a 7% increase in precipitation
results in a loss of 8.4% of total net-revenue for India. Hence, adaptation to climate
variability and change in the system is imperative to sustain the productivity and
profitability for the farmers in short to medium run. The socio economic impact of
climate change has been crop failure, indebtedness among farmers, reduced quantities
of food available for self-consumption and less community and social support system.
Farmers’ adaptation to changing climate is constrained by several technological,
socio-economic and institutional barriers (Singh et al. 2017). These include limited
knowledge on the costs and benefits of adaptation, lack of access to and knowledge
of adaptation technologies, lack of financial resources and limited information on
changing weather.
The impact of climate change in the horticulture sector include shortened growing
period, resulting in reduced production and quality of fruits and vegetables. Major
observed effects of climate change on mango include early or delayed flowering,
multiple reproductive flushes, transformation of reproductive buds into vegetative
ones, variations in fruit maturity and abnormal fruit set (Malhotra 2017). When the
reproductive buds turn into vegetative ones, the yield declines. Further increase in
temperature during fruit maturity leads to fruit cracking and early ripening of the
fruit. Although mango tree is adapted to dry environments experiencing water stress
and high evaporative demand, the expected increase of drought and vapour pressure
deficit (VPD) would have a negative effect on photosynthesis because of the rapid
stomatal closure of the mango tree due to climate change (Normand et al. 2015). Citing several authors Malhotra (2017) in his review observes that in perennial crops like
mango, temperature has significant influence on flowering phenology. The percentage
of hermaphrodite flowers was greater in late emerging panicles, which coincided with
higher temperatures. During peak bloom period, high temperature (35 °C) accompanied by low relative humidity (49%) and long sunshine hours resulted in excessive
transpiration and dehydration injury to panicles. Leaf scorching and twig dying are
common symptoms of heat stroke in bearing and non-bearing mango plants.
Normand et al. (2015) observe that drought has negative impact on fruit size, the
positive impact is on mango fruit quality as drought increases fruit quality by increasing the sugar concentration of the fruit. In their estimate on the possible consequence
of climate change on mango production in South Asia, Normand et al. (2015) predict
that “the warmer climate during flowering and the warmer and wetter climate during
the season of vegetative rest will probably lead to a lower floral induction. On the
opposite, the hot and wet climate during fruit growth and vegetative growth will
promote good fruit growth and important vegetative growth after harvest. But fruit
quality could be reduced and pests and diseases problems could be accentuated.”
3 Mango Production Scenario in the World and India
More than 80 countries in the world produce mango. India ranks number one in
mango production and has been consistently in the top. However, India’s share in
total world production has declined from 56% in 1985 to 42% in 2013 (Table 1). For