Crop production and economic loss due to wind erosion in hot arid ecosystem of India
Abstract
Wind erosion is a severe land degradation process in hot arid western India and affects the agricultural production system. It affects crop yield directly by damaging the crops through abrasion, burial, dust deposition etc. and indirectly by reducing soil fertility. In this study, an attempt was made to quantify the indirect impact of wind erosion process on crop production loss and associated economic loss in hot arid ecosystem of India. It has been observed that soil loss due to wind erosion varies from minimum 1.3 t ha-1 to maximum 83.3 t ha-1 as per the severity. Yield loss due to wind erosion was found maximum for groundnut (Arachis hypogea) (5-331 kg ha-1 yr-1), whereas minimum for moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) (1-93 kg ha-1 yr-1). For pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), which covers a major portion of arable lands in western Rajasthan, the yield loss was found 3-195 kg ha-1 yr-1. Economic loss was found higher for groundnut and clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) than rest crops, which are about
- Publication:
-
Aeolian Research
- Pub Date:
- October 2017
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.aeolia.2017.07.009
- Bibcode:
- 2017AeoRe..28...71S
- Keywords:
-
- Wind erosion;
- Crop production;
- Nutrient loss;
- Economic loss;
- Wind erosion severity;
- Western Rajasthan