Review on the Effect of Moisture or Rain Fall on Crop Production

Abstract

Rainfall is one of the primary factors affecting soil erosion and crop production under rain-fed agriculture. The review sought to quantify the effect of rainfall or moisture on crop production. The Rainfall distribution, amount and intensity as well as rain fall season was reviewed in relation to crop growth and development response., As research show the effect of drought on barley showed that, during the vegetative stage, water stress primarily reduced yields by a reduction in light interception arising from smaller leaves. However, for stress during the grain filling phase, yields were reduced almost equally by reduced photosynthesis per unit area arising from leaf senescence. The impact of rainfall on crop production can be related to its total seasonal amount or its intra-seasonal distribution. In the extreme case of droughts, with very low total seasonal amounts, crop production suffers the most. But more subtle intra-seasonal variations in rainfall distribution during crop growing periods, without a change in total seasonal amount, can also cause substantial reductions in yields. This means that the number of rainy days during the growing period is as important, if not more, as that of the seasonal total. Generally, the effect of rainfall variability on crop production varies with types of crops cultivated, types and properties of soils and climatic conditions of a given area.

Keywords: Soil moisture, rain fall, crop adaptation and drought

DOI: 10.7176/CER/11-2-01

Publication date:March 31^st 2019