Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ABSTRACT
The study pertaining to climatic issues for sustainable litchi production
indicated that the climate is changing and influencing the litchi enterprise
in eastern India. The litchi production system is having high reliance on
natural ecosystem services like soil fertility, pruning and training opera-
tion for canopy development, insect (honeybee) pollination for high fruit
set, maintenance of soil moisture levels through rainfall and assured irri-
gation during its vegetative and reproductive phases. Therefore long-term
changes to rainfall and its pattern, temperature (variation), soil moisture
and air humidity regimes will greatly influence litchi production and will
impact on fruit yield and quality. For sustainable litchi production, under-
standing of ideal climatic conditions is very much required for doing the
relevance in the present perspective. Higher temperature, good sunshine
and enough soil moisture in the rhizosphere improves fruit size and quality
in this region. The aberrations in weather like prolonged cloudy weather
and rains during the full bloom interfere with normal cross-pollination
(as diminished activities of pollinators mainly honey bees) and fruit set in
litchi, sometimes may cause total crop failure. Till date information on cli-
matic issues concerning litchi production is entirely lacking, which needs
to be generated urgently on the basis of earlier (but related) studies made,
creating greater awareness, development of simulation models. Timely
adoption of technologies needs to be given paramount importance for this
fruit crop production. Hence, sustainable production is not only a matter
of changing current management practices, changing varieties or chang-
ing cropping zones, but strategic adaptation and measures in the changed
climatic perspective starts from creating awareness and building resilient
systems. Current litchi production in this country and more particularly in
eastern region needs to be both environmentally sustainable and economi-
cally viable for livelihood security and prosperity in the region.
6.1 INTRODUCTION
The litchi (
Litchi chinensis
Sonn.) is an important commercial, sub tropi-
cal fruit crop of India and belongs to the family Sapindaceae. It is known
for its attractive, red color, good taste, excellent quality and high nutritive
value, popularly called as “Queen” of fruits. Its original abode is China
