Rice in a Variable Climate

Rice is the primary food of the Asians and over 85 per cent of the rice is produced in the continent. India ranks second in both production and area in the World. It contributes over 40 per cent to the annual food grain production to the country. The area for rice cultivation is 43 m ha of which only 19 m ha is irrigated. Yields under rainfed ecologies are poor and show a high degree of instability and depend heavily on the vagaries of the monsoon. The major challenge before agricultural Scientists and climatologists is a how to increase production of rainfed areas. This volume assesses the present status of Knowledge pertaining to links between rice cultivation under diverse ecologies and climate variability, and identities constraints.