Time management governs climate resilience and productivity in the coupled rice–wheat cropping systems of eastern India

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-21-2022

Journal Title

Nature Food

ISSN

eISSN 2662-1355

Keywords

Agriculture, Sustainability, India, Rice, Wheat, Cropping, Yields, Annual cropping calendar

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Education | Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Climate | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Monitoring | Food Security | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Operations and Supply Chain Management | Plant Biology | Sustainability

Abstract

India will need to produce 30% more wheat by 2050, and these gains must principally come from intensification in eastern India where low productivity is common. Through a dense network of on-farm surveys for the rice–wheat system in this region, we show that contemporary wheat sowing dates have a central influence on achieved and attainable yields, superseding all other crop management, soil and varietal factors. We estimate that untapped wheat production potential will increase by 69% with achievable adjustments to wheat sowing dates without incurring undesirable trade-offs with rice productivity, irrigation requirements or profitability. Our findings also indicate that transformative gains in wheat yields are only possible in eastern India if rice and wheat are managed as a coupled system. Steps taken to ‘keep time’ through better management of the annual cropping calendar will pay dividends for food security, profitability and climate resilience now and as a foundation for adaptation to progressive climate change.

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00549-0