Trends of Rainfall, Temperature and Rice Yield of Nashik Region of Maharashtra

Abstract

This study primarily focused on the change in the trend of rainfall, temperature and rice yield of the Nashik region of Maharashtra state. The trend analysis of all three climatic parameters was carried out using the Mann - Kendall method. For this, daily rainfall, minimum, and maximum temperature and rice yield data of 30 years i.e. from 1984 to 2014 were processed to find out the overall trend of rainfall, temperature and rice yield. The Mann-Kendall method was applied for the determination of trends. The results obtained from the study show that there is an increase in the trend of rainfall for stations viz. Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, and Sinnar subsequently decreasing trend for Dindori, Igatpuri, Peint, and Niphad. Minimum and maximum temperature for all the stations present in the study area showing an upward trend. Crop yield of Nashik, Peint, and Sinner shows an upward trend and Trimbakeshwar, Dindori, Igatpuri, and Niphad show a downward trend. It has been found that the rainfall trend over the entire region is decreasing. Sixty percent of station data shows that there is a significant decrease in the trend of the rice yield due to a decrease in the rainfall and an increase in temperature trends.