Impact of Climate Variability on Mango Cultivation: A Case Study in Malda District of West Bengal, India
摘要
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the oldest and most popular fruit crops in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. More than 1200 varieties are cultivated across different parts of India. Although different varieties of mangoes have been cultivated in the Malda district of West Bengal from the historical period because of their agro-climatic suitability, the most popular varieties are Fazli, Langra, Himsagar, and Gopalbhog. The present study aimed at identifying the historical trends of selected weather parameters and their relationship with mango cultivation in the Malda district. The major data sources used to fulfill the objectives are India Meteorological Data, NASA POWER data set, and the District Horticulture Department. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall test, Sen’s slope estimator, multiple linear regression (MLR), and Pearson’s correlation coefficient are used. The results revealed that temperature has a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation (r = 0.32) with mango production, while rainfall and relative humidity have a non-significant negative (r = −0.16 and r = −0.03) correlation. The wind speed showed a non-significant correlation (r = 0.01). The result explored weather parameters explained an 11.55% variation in mango productivity from 1982 to 2021. The requirements for weather parameters vary across different stages of mango growth. During the initial stages, low temperature, low rainfall, and low relative humidity are optimal. Conversely, in the developing and maturity and harvest stages, high temperature, high rainfall, and high relative humidity are more favorable for mango cultivation. However, recent increases in weather anomalies, coupled with climate extremes, pose significant threats to the stability of this fruit cultivation system.