Climate-Smart Horticulture: Managing Change for Better Yields

Horticulture plays a vital role in food security, nutrition, livelihood and economy. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, plantation crops, medicinal plants and ornamental crops contribute in a diversified way to human diets and quality of life and are the source of income for millions of farmers, entrepreneurs, traders and labourers in the horticultural value chain. However, in the recent past, horticulture production has been increasingly challenged by climate change that is considered as the major threat to sustainable agriculture.

Increasing temperature, erratic precipitation, intense droughts, floods, heat stress, soil erosion, water limitation, climate extremes and shifting pest and disease patterns are impacting crop growth, flower development, fruit set, yield, quality and shelf life. Horticultural crops are very sensitive to environment and therefore a strong demand exists for the development of climate-resilient and adaptive management practices to maintain productivity and profitability in future climate scenarios.

“Climate-Smart Horticulture: Managing Change for Better Yields” has been written with the intent to enable the reader to have a clear and practical view of scientific aspects of climate-related problems in horticulture and its solutions. It demonstrates the effect of climate change on various horticultural crops and elaborates climate-smart approaches water management, shade net houses, precision farming, climate resilient varieties, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest and disease management, conservation tillage, digital technologies and sustainable production.

It is our hope that this book will be of help to students, scientists, teachers, extension workers, horticulturists, policy makers and farmers in general. The topics have been organized in such a way as to enable an easy understanding of causes, effects and management strategies pertaining to climate change in horticulture envisaged by the readers in a simple, systematic and reader friendly approach. Special attention has been given to practical and field-based technologies for strengthening crop resilience, resource-use efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Climate-smart horticulture is not just a matter of scientific interest but also a pragmatic way for ensuring food and nutrition security in the future. With the implementation of appropriate adaptation and mitigation measures, horticulture can adapt to (and even benefit from) climate change and remain productive, sustainable and profitable. This book is an earnest attempt to integrate key ideas, technologies and management practices that enable decision support for improved productivity under climate change.