CLIMATIC ISSUES AFFECTING SUSTAINABLE LITCHI (LITCHI CHINENSIS SONN.) PRODUCTION IN EASTERN INDIA

The study pertaining to climatic issues for sustainable litchi production indicated that the climate is changing and influencing the litchi enterprise in eastern India. The litchi production system is having high reliance on natural ecosystem services like soil fertility, pruning and training operation for canopy development, insect (honeybee) pollination for high fruit set, maintenance of soil moisture levels through rainfall and assured irrigation during its vegetative and reproductive phases. Therefore long-term changes to rainfall and its pattern, temperature (variation), soil moisture and air humidity regimes will greatly influence litchi production and will impact on fruit yield and quality. For sustainable litchi production, understanding of ideal climatic conditions is very much required for doing the relevance in the present perspective. Higher temperature, good sunshine and enough soil moisture in the rhizosphere improves fruit size and quality in this region. The aberrations in weather like prolonged cloudy weather and rains during the full bloom interfere with normal cross-pollination (as diminished activities of pollinators mainly honey bees) and fruit set in litchi, sometimes may cause total crop failure. Till date information on climatic issues concerning litchi production is entirely lacking, which needs to be generated urgently on the basis of earlier (but related) studies made, creating greater awareness, development of simulation models. Timely adoption of technologies needs to be given paramount importance for this fruit crop production. Hence, sustainable production is not only a matter of changing current management practices, changing varieties or changing cropping zones, but strategic adaptation and measures in the changed climatic perspective starts from creating awareness and building resilient systems. Current litchi production in this country and more particularly in eastern region needs to be both environmentally sustainable and economically viable for livelihood security and prosperity in the region.