Cold Wave of 2002-03 – Impact on Agriculture J.S. Samra Gurbachan Singh Y.S. Ramakrishna NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 001 December, 2003 Published by Dr. Y.S. Ramakrishna Director Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500 059 Phone : 040-2453 0177 (O), 2453 2262 (R) Fax: 040-2453 1802 / 2453 5336 Web: http://dryland.ap.nic.in Email :
[email protected] Editorial Inputs and Assistance Prof. P.S.N. Sastry Retd. Principal Scientist (Agromet) Dr. G.G.S.N. Rao Principal Scientist (Agromet) Dr. Y.G. Prasad Senior Scientist (Entomology) Word Processing Mrs. Meera NRM Division, ICAR Mrs. Y. Padmini CRIDA, ICAR Printed at: Heritage Print Services Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad. Phone: +91 (40) 2760 2453, 27608604; Fax: +91 (40) 2762 6042 Email:
[email protected] Foreword t is well known that weather is a major factor that influences crop growth I and productivity. During the rabi season in the northern and north- eastern regions of the country, occurrence of cold waves due to passing western disturbances is an annual phenomenon. Under the influence of these synoptic systems, night temperatures may often go below freezing point and day time temperatures become too low, at times less than optimum during the peak winter period. In 2002-2003 rabi season, severe cold wave conditions prevailed for a prolonged period over many parts of northern and eastern India for one to two weeks at a stretch, especially during January. This was a new record in the recent decades.