Ongoing and completed research projects :

(1)    Project 1 :

Integrated Agro meteorological Advisory Services (IAAS) at Junagadh. OR Gramin Krushi Mausam Sewa (GKMS)

Objectives:

1.      To verify the validity and accuracy of medium range weather forecast received from IMD, Pune, Super Computer, New Delhi, Met centre, Ahmedabad.

2.      Preparation of Agro Advisory Bulletins based on medium range weather forecast from IMD, Pune.

3.      To disseminate the weather based bulletins to farmers through extension net work and mass media, AIR, DD and print media (Local Newspapers).

4.      Obtain feedback from the farmers on Agro-advisory system.

(2) Project 2 :

Establishment of Agro meteorological Cell at Agricultural Colleges

Objectives:

1.      Teaching Agro meteorological courses at under graduate and post-graduate levels.

2.      Imparting training to students/staff for recording and maintenance of Agro meteorological observatory.

3.      To conduct research work in various fields of agricultural meteorology.

         a.      Agro climatic characterization of different regions of state

         b.      Micrometeorological studies including energy, mass and momentum transfer within and above crop canopy. 

         c.       Development of crop growth models for major crops of the region

(3) Project 3 :

Forecasting of Agricultural out put using Space, Agrometeorology and Land   based observations. (FASAL)

The prime aim of the project is to develop, validate and issue multiple crop yield forecast for Groundnut, Wheat and Pearl millet in Saurashtra region of Gujarat at mid season (F2) and pre-harvest stage (F3). Specific objectives of the project are:

Objectives:

1.      To establish the relation between weather and crop growth, development and yield for groundnut, wheat, cotton and pearl millet.

2.      To assess and establish the relationship between weather, field level management practices and land factors for crop yield forecasting.

3.      To determine genetic coefficients for popular varieties of groundnut, wheat, cotton and pearl millet for running crop simulation models for crop yield forecasting

4.      To issue multiple crop yield forecast for groundnut, wheat, cotton and pearl millet in Saurashtra region of Gujarat at mid season (F2) and pre-harvest stage (F3)

(a) Practical journals prepared for UG students

     1. Practical Journal on Remote Sensing

     2. Practical Journal on Argil. Meteorology (new and old UG courses)

(b) No. of PG students completed : 6

(A) The farmers training programmes conducted under RKVY project

(B)   The farmers training programmes conducted under IAAS/GKMS  project

     1.  No. of research papers : 45

     2.  No. of popular articles : 16

     3.   No. of books : 9

     4.  No. of folders and booklets : 4

     5.  The maintenance of agro met observatory and automatic weather station

     6.  Analysis of observed and forecasted data for Junagadh district

     7.  Preparation of annual weather report

     8.  Preparation of agro advisory bulletins and dissemination through various media.

Rainfall Variability and Tendency over Saurashtra and Kutch Regions of Gujarat

   Climate change due to global warming is a reality now- a- days. The increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 and other green house gases in recent years are well documented and theoretical reasons for higher concentrations to cause global warming. It is difficult to obtain global and regional averages of rainfall and temperature because both diurnal and seasonal variations considerably differ from location to location. At local and regional levels the tendency and distribution of these parameters are influenced by geographical situations. It is therefore, necessary that the changes of rainfall pattern are quantified taking into consideration the long term data available at the locality.

Source of Rainfall data:

   Annual rainfall data of all the six districts of Saurashtra region (Junagadh, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar and Amreli) and Kutch region for 100 years (1901-2000) was collected from the records of Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Gujarat.

Rainfall variability over Saurashtra and Kutch regions for last 110 years (1901-2010).

*figures in bracket indicate years.

Annual rainfall tendency over Saurashtra and Kutch regions for 110 years (1901-2010)

Annual rainfall tendency over Saurashtra and Kutch regions for last decade (2001-2010)

Frequency of heavy rainfall years (>1000 mm) and above average rainfall years in Saurashtra region.

Figures in bracket indicate average of 100 years.

Conclusion :

1.  The normal annual rainfall (1901-2010) of Saurashtra region was 581.0 mm with the coefficient of variation of 38 percent, the highest rainfall being 1195 mm in the year 1959 and lowest rainfall 134.0 mm in the year 1987.

2.  Trend analysis of 110 years of rainfall indicated that rainfall is in increasing trend   (1.5 mm per year) over Saurashtra region.

3.  Junagadhdistrict showed increasing trend of rainfall at the rate of 4.25 mm per year over 110 years.

4.  In Rajkot district the rainfall was increasing at the rate of 0.85 mm per year over the study period.

5.  The Jamanagar district showed an increasing trend at the rate of 2.15 mm per year.

6.  In Surendranagar district the rainfall was in increasing trend (0.46 mm/yr).

7.  The Bhavnagar district rainfall was slightly increasing @ 0.14 mm over 110 years.

8.  In Amreli district the rainfall was increasing @ 1.12 mm/yr.

9.  The Kutch district recorded an increasing rainfall @ 1.02 mm over last 110 years.

10.  The frequency of heavy rainfall events and the above average rainfall years are increasing in Saurashtra and Kutch regions.

11.  A significant increase in rainfall trend in the last decade is going to impact the agricultural production in the regions.

Temperature trend at Junagadh :

      The daily maximum and minimum temperature data for the last 25 years (1985-2009) were used to study the temperature pattern at Junagadh. The results are as under. The maximum temperature has shown a decreasing trend in all the months except April and August. However, both increase and decrease in maximum temperature are not significant in any of the months. The minimum temperature has shown a decreasing trend in the months of June, July, August and October while increasing trend in the other months. The increase in minimum temperature is approximately 0.12o C per year in all the months. The decrease in minimum temperature is not significant.

Heat and cold waves at Junagadh during last 25 years:-

Heat and cold waves: -

    Heat wave is defined as a continuous period of more than 3 to 4 days having maximum temperature more than or equal to 40oC per day. A cold wave can be defined as the continuous period of 3 to 4 days having minimum temperature less than or equal to 10oC per day. In Junagadh region the number of heat waves is more than the cold waves. The trend of heat waves is also increasing.

Hot and cold days:-

    The number of hot days in the months of April and May shows increasing trend where as, the number of cold days in the months of December, January and February are in the decreasing trend.

Sr. No.	Month	Hot Days	Month	Cold Days
1	March	77	December	142
2	April	294	January	220
3	May	232	February	75
Total		603		437

    The daily rainfall data of 53 years (1957-2009) recorded at Junagadh was used to study the rainfall pattern. The results are as under.

Annual rainfall:-

    The annual normal rainfall at Junagadh is 917.1mm ranging from 2794.0mm in the year 1983 to 145.6 mm in the year 1987. The variability of rainfall is 46.2 percent.

Monsoon rainfall:-

    The normal monsoon rainfall is 863.2mm with a standard deviation of 426.1 mm and variability of 49.4 per cent. The highest monsoon rainfall 2777.0 mm was recorded in the year 1983 followed by 1668.0 mm in the year 1980 and the lowest of 138.2 mm in the year 1987, followed by 291.1 mm in the year 1982.

Monthly rainfall:-

    The normal rainfall for June, July, August and September are 183.0, 354.2, 201.6 and 124.4 mm respectively. The highest rainfall of 1432.0 mm was recorded in the year 1983 in June, 1056 mm in the year 1988 in July, 787.3 mm in the year 1979 in August and 533.0 mm in the year 2005 in September.

Monthly Rainfall Trend:-

     The time series trend analysis of monthly, monsoon and annual rainfall is worked out. The results indicated that the rainfall during June, August and September are increasing, whereas, the rainfall during July is decreasing. The rainfall of monsoon season as a whole is increasing by 1.3 mm per year as the annual rainfall by 2.0 mm per year.

Agro meteorological Cell, Department of Agronomy, JAU, Junagadh :

Temperature pattern:

     The daily maximum and minimum temperature data for the last 25 years (1985-2009) were used to study the temperature pattern at Junagadh. The results are as under.

Maximum temperature:

     The maximum temperature is decreasing in all the months except April and August. However, both increase and decrease in maximum temperature are not significant in any of the months.

Minimum temperature:

     The minimum temperature is decreasing in the months of June, July, August and October, while it is increasing in the other months. The increase in minimum temperature is approximately 0.12oC per year in all the months. The decrease in minimum temperature is not significant.

Heat and cold waves at Junagadh during last 25 years:

 Heat and cold waves:

     Heat wave is defined as a continuous period of more than 3 to 4 days having maximum temperature more than or equal 40oC per day. A cold wave can be defined as the continuous period of 3 to 4 days having minimum temperature less than or equal to 10oC per day. In Junagadh region the number of heat waves is more than the cold waves. The trend of heat waves is also increasing.

Hot and cold days:

    The number of hot days in the months of April and May shows increasing trend whereas, the number of cold days in the months of December, January and February are in the decreasing trend.

Rainfall pattern:

    The daily rainfall data of 53 years (1957-2009) recorded at Junagadh was used to study the rainfall pattern.

Annual rainfall:

    The annual normal rainfall at Junagadh is 917.1 mm ranging from 2794.0 mm in the year 1983 to 145.6 mm in the year 1987. The variability of rainfall is 46.2%.

Monsoon rainfall:

    The normal monsoon rainfall is 863.2 mm with a standard deviation of 426.1 mm and variability of 49.4%. The highest monsoon rainfall 2777.0 mm was recorded in the year 1983 followed by 1668.0 mm in the year 1980 and the lowest of 138.2 mm in the year 1987, followed by 291.1 mm in the year 1982.

Monthly rainfall:

    The normal rainfall for June, July, August and September are 183.0, 354.2.201.6, and 124.4 mm, respectively. The highest rainfall of 1432.0 mm was recorded in the year 1983 in June, 1056.0 mm in the year 1988 in July, 787.3 mm in the year 1979 in August and 533.0 mm in the year 2005 in September.

Monthly rainfall trend:

    The time series trend analysis of monthly, monsoon and annual rainfall is worked out. The results indicated that the rainfall during June, August and September are increasing, whereas, the rainfall during July is decreasing. The rainfall of monsoon season as a whole is increasing by 1.3 mm per year as the annual rainfall by 2.0 mm per year.