Organic Farming to Mitigate Abiotic Stresses under Climate Change Scenario

Abstract

Climate change is resultant from modern-day chemical agriculture, which is creating negative impacts on crop production. Global agriculture is now facing various problems arising due to abiotic stresses such as flood, drought, temperature extremes, light extremes, salinity, heavy metal stress, nutrient toxicity/deficiency. These stresses not only hamper the growth and production but also reduce the quality of crops through morphological, physiological, biochemical changes and synthesis of ROS. Further, they negatively impact on entire environment specially soil health. Deterioration of yield and quality often occurs due to lack of essential inputs to plants under abiotic stresses. Although plants adopt defensive mechanisms, such abiotic stresses need to be addressed properly with various eco-friendly organic farming approaches. Different organic inputs like organic manures, biofertilizers, bio-priming with micro-organisms, bio-stimulants (seaweed extracts, humic acid, micro-organisms, etc.), mulches, biochar are known to alleviate abiotic stresses under climate change scenario. Further, various organic agronomic practices viz. crop rotation, intercropping, tillage, sowing methods and time, nutrient, water and intercultural operations, use of PGPB, organic formulations, grafting, selection of resistant/tolerant varieties and other scientific/wise uses of organic inputs can mitigate/escape the negative impacts of abiotic stresses resulting in upliftment in crop production as well as the quality of produce.