Excessive Rainfall Hampers Rabi Crops in Karnataka

Excess rain in September and October this year hampered rabi crop planting in many parts of Karnataka. Rabi crops, also known as winter crops, are agricultural crops planted in the winter and harvested in the spring in India.

Sowing has been completed in 74% of the total target area in Karnataka to date, which is likely to impact yield.

The state's major reservoirs are all full. The State Agriculture Department set a target of 26.68 lakh hectares for rabi crop sowing, of which 74% has been met.

According to experts, excessive rainfall has resulted in soil moisture oversaturation, hampered crop sowing this season. Seedlings will not survive even if they sow due to the heavily saturated soil.

For respiration, germinating seeds and plant roots require oxygen in the soil. These living plant tissues cannot perform critical life-sustaining functions without oxygen, such as root and shoot development and nutrient uptake.

According to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, 20 of the state's 31 districts experienced rainfall during this year's monsoon (June to September).

According to G S Srinivasa Reddy, senior consultant with the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), this year's situation is unusual.

There is more moisture in the soil due to heavy rain, which has not drained out in many places.

During the rabi season, crops such as jowar, wheat, Bengal gramme, and black gramme are planted. "If sown in September, harvesting could occur from January to March, depending on the crop." Rain in November or December would help vegetation grow even more," he explained.