Agrometeorology of sorghum and millet in the semi-arid tropics : proceedings of the International Symposium, ICRISAT Center, Patancheru, India 15-20 November 1982

The semi-arid and subhumid regions of the world may provide the best opportunity to increase food production quickly. Sorghum and millet—two of the major crops with which ICRISAT deals—are among the best adapted to such climatic regions, which are generally characterized by an insufficiency of precipitation to meet the evaporative demand of the atmosphere, as well as by an uneven seasonal distribution of and a high year-to-year variability in precipitation. The agrometeorologist has many contributions to make to increasing food production in the semi-arid regions, especially in the search for ways to increase the availability of water, to decrease the demand for that water in crop production, and to improve the water-use efficiency (photosynthesis:evapotranspiration or yield:total water consumption). In this paper, a number of methods that may increase water-use efficiency—namely, windbreaks, reflectants, and plant architectural adaptations—are described in detail. Other important tasks for the agrometeorologist and climatologist are also considered; e.g., finding the range of climatic conditions best suited to particular crops, developing climatic analogues for locating new areas for cropping, developing planting strategies to make fullest use of the climatic advantages while minimizing the risks, and providing surveillance on crop-growing conditions for purposes of national planning. Thoughts are also presented concerning the possible implications of the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for crop growth in the semi-arid and subhumid lands. 21 The Role of the Meteorologist and Climatologist in Improving Food Production Capabilities in the Semi-Arid Regions Norman J. Rosenberg* *Center for Agricultural Meteorology and Climatology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb, USA. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 1984. grometeorology of Sorghum and Millet in the Semi-Arid Tropics: Proceedings of the International Symposium, 15-20 Nov 19S2, ICRISAT Center, India. Patancheru, A.P. 502324, India: ICRISAT. I have been charged by the conveners of this symposium with preparing a keynote paper: a broad, general view of agrometeorology and agroclimatology as these disciplines may serve in improving food production capabilities in the semi-arid regions. In the pages that follow, I speculate about the future of the semi-arid and subhumid regions in meeting world food needs. That water supply to the crop is the key to increasing production will surprise no one here. I emphasize the importance of improved water-use efficiency as a goal and describe a few ways in which, by manipulating the environment, the crop, or both, this goal may be achieved. I also describe what seem to me to be other very important opportunities for service by the community of meteorologists and climatologists who devote themselves to agriculture. My examples are limited in number. The topics I mention constitute a sampler, at best. I expect that many other concepts and methods will be brought to our attention this week and that all ideas will be subjected to thorough discussion. Sorghum, Millet, and the