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Spatial Variability in Temporal Trends of Precipitation and its Impact on the Agricultural Scenario of Mizoram


Affiliations
1 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
2 ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 796 103, India
3 Directorate of Economics and Statistics, and Government of Mizoram, 796 001, India
4 Directorate of Crop Husbandry, Government of Mizoram, 796 001, India
 

Long-term monthly rainfall observations (1986-2014) were analysed for 12 rain-gauge stations installed at variable altitudes of Mizoram. Our objective was to assess the temporal change in the standardized precipitation index (SPI) values at different timescales using Mann-Kendall trend tests. Significant reductions in post-monsoon and winter rainfall were recorded for most of the sites. Increasing dryness during the winter months may intensify the acute water shortage in Mizoram. Our results emphasize the altitudinal insensitivity of mean monthly rainfall trend and prove the urgent need for adopting suitable water management practices to cope with the water scarcity problem to increase the resiliency of rabi agriculture in Mizoram in near future.

Keywords

Agriculture, Rainfall Pattern, Standardized Precipitation Index, Spatial Variability.
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  • Spatial Variability in Temporal Trends of Precipitation and its Impact on the Agricultural Scenario of Mizoram

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Authors

S. Saha
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
D. Chakraborty
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 796 103, India
B. U. Choudhury
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 796 103, India
S. B. Singh
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
N. Chinza
Directorate of Economics and Statistics, and Government of Mizoram, 796 001, India
C. Lalzarliana
Directorate of Crop Husbandry, Government of Mizoram, 796 001, India
S. K. Dutta
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
S. Chowdhury
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
T. Boopathi
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
Lungmuana
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
A. R. Singh
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib 796 081, India
S. V. Ngachan
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam 796 103, India

Abstract


Long-term monthly rainfall observations (1986-2014) were analysed for 12 rain-gauge stations installed at variable altitudes of Mizoram. Our objective was to assess the temporal change in the standardized precipitation index (SPI) values at different timescales using Mann-Kendall trend tests. Significant reductions in post-monsoon and winter rainfall were recorded for most of the sites. Increasing dryness during the winter months may intensify the acute water shortage in Mizoram. Our results emphasize the altitudinal insensitivity of mean monthly rainfall trend and prove the urgent need for adopting suitable water management practices to cope with the water scarcity problem to increase the resiliency of rabi agriculture in Mizoram in near future.

Keywords


Agriculture, Rainfall Pattern, Standardized Precipitation Index, Spatial Variability.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv109%2Fi12%2F2278-2282