Changing Agro-Climate: Tropical Tubers and Roots as a Challenge for Sustainable Livelihood in India

Abstract

The present study was undertaken for adaptability and sustainability of sweet potato with respect to climate change in Odisha, India. Climate change contributed to erratic rainfall pattern, shift of sowing and harvesting period of crops, incidence of diseases/pests in crops. So, there is a need to develop a comprehensive master plan for strategically planning conservation and food security in the wake of climate change impacts. It was identified the primary challenges of farmers which ensured them to grow adaptive and sustainable tuber crops in changing agro-climate. Tropical root and tuber crops contribute 6% of the average daily requirement and considered as third important crop. It is considered as a cheap source of food and energy particularly suitable for the poor section population which also capable enough to withstand biotic and a biotic stresses. Experiments were conducted with short season variety of sweet potato in fluctuating agro-climate like change in temperature and humidity in order to find its sustainability. Different treatments which comprises of (80%, 100% and 150%) moisture on dry basis (field capacity) and temperature like low as 20-25ºC and high as 45-50ºC. The result showed that different agro-climatic parameter treatments led to no significant yield loss in sweet potato.