Physical Environment of Sorghum- and Millet-growing Areas in South Asia
1984
Sivakumar, M V K | Huda, A K S | Virmani, S M
In the semi-arid areas of Asia, rainfed farming of sorghum and millet constitutes the main pattern of land use. About 57% of the world's millet and 38% of the sorghum come from Asia; South Asia contributes 60% of the total Asian production of both crops, with India alone producing 96% of the millet and 98% of the sorghum. However, a major constraint to increasing production is drought, resulting from low and variable rainfall and soils with low water-holding capacity. The wide range of variation in other climatic parameters as well—temperature; radiation, and evapotranspiration—in the sorghum- and millet-growing areas is illustrated and discussed. The broad soil regions in semi-arid Asia are described, and measures suggested for improving and stabilizing yields by matching the crop growth cycle with the growing period. The variability in the phenology, growth, and yield of sorghum is illustrated with examples from a 3-year multilocation sorghum-modeling experiment. It is proposed that data banks be set up to collect—via an interagency network—the information on climate, soils, and crops needed to assess the impact of the physical environment on sorghum and millet production in the semi-arid tropics.
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