Lecture No. 1.

MEANING AND SCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY

Meteorology : The word meteoro owes its origin from a Greek word that mean above the

earth’s surface which is nothing but atmosphere. The dictionary meaning of

logy is a subject of study or interest.
Atmosphere : The atmosphere is a mechanical mixtures of gases.

Aerosols : Atmosphere contains huge number of solid and liquid particle called as

aerosols.
Meteorology : Meteorology is defined as the science that deals with the physical process

of lower atmosphere, which produce weather.

Meteorology : Meteorology is the science of weather which attempts to apply physical

principles to an explanation and interpretation (meaning) of the various weather

phenomena.
OR
Meteorology is defined as the science of atmosphere and its phenomena;
especially those phenomena which we call collectively as weather and climate.
Meteorology can be organized into following parts.
1. Behavior and properties of the atmosphere.
2. Studies of the various processes in the atmosphere.
3. Various phenomena in the atmosphere.
4. Direct and indirect effects of weather on the earth, ocean surface and life in
general.
5. Application of these studies for forecasting weather.
Meteoro – Lower atmosphere or above the earth surface
logy – Science.
The values of weather elements averaged over a period like 10 years or more, are
known as normal.
Weather : Weather is the condition and behavior of the atmosphere at given time and

place.
OR
- Physical condition or state of the atmosphere at a given time and place.
 The physical condition of atmosphere can be described by using numerical values
of the six basic atmospheric factors, which are known as weather elements or weather
parameters.
1. Air temperature 2. Atmospheric Pressure
3. Wind 4. Humidity
5. Sunshine 6. Clouds and precipitation
Visibility, radiation and evaporation, pollution may be added in the list, of
weather parameters.
Out of the weather parameters temperature and precipitation are most important.
Climate : Is defined as generalized or average weather of a place or a region.

It is a longer phase of the weather. The climate can be described by taking

statistical averages of weather elements over period like, week, fortnight, month or
season. For complete description of climate the highest and lowest values of weather
elements during the period under consideration are essentially required to be know for
the given place or region.
Climatology :- Climatology is the science which treats the component elements of

weather and climate such as temperature and rainfall, their distribution over the earth
and the factors which determiners and control their distribution.
Climatology is intimately connected with geography while meteorology is closely
related to physics.
Agricultural Meteorology :
Agricultural meteorology is the science which deals with the physical
characteristics of the environment of growing plant or animal organisms.
OR It is the science related to the atmosphere and its phenomena especially to the
weather and its effect on agriculture.
OR Meteorology in its relation to agriculture is called agricultural meteorology.
OR Agricultural meteorology is defined as the science which deals with influence of
weather on crop husbandry as well as animal husbandry.
Definition given by F.A.O.
Agrometeorology is concerned with interaction between meteorology and all the
activities of man in the field of Agriculture.
 In broader sense, Agrometeorology is concerned with every activity relating
agriculture and includes crops, fruit, forest and animal production and their interaction
with their environment. Crop climate relationship is studied in Agrometeorology.
AGROMETEOROLOGY IMPORTANCE TO CROP PRODUCTION
1. Helps in planning cropping patterns/systems.
2. Selection of sowing dates for optimum crop yields.
3. Cost effective ploughing, harrowing, weeding etc.
4. Reducing losses of applied chemicals and fertilizers.
5. Judicious irrigation to crops.
6. Efficient harvesting of all crops.
7. Reducing or eliminating outbreak of pests and diseases.
8. Efficient management of soils which are formed out of weather action.
9. Managing weather abnormalities like cyclones, heavy rainfall, floods, drought etc.
This can be achieved by
(a) Protection: When rain is forecast avoid irrigation. But, when frost is
forecast apply irrigation.
(b) Avoidance: Avoid fertilizer and chemical sprays when rain is forecast
(c) Mitigation: Use shelter belts against cold and heat waves.
10. Effective environmental protection.
11. Avoiding or minimizing losses due to forest fires.
SCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY :
Agricultural meteorology is a multidisciplinary science. Though it is a branch of
applied meteorology dealing with interactions between atmospheric variables and crop
husbandry as well as animal husbandry. It interacts with the agricultural disciplines viz.,
Agronomy and Horticulture, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural
Engineering, Plant Physiology, Entomology, Plant Pathology and other allied
agricultural sciences. Hence, agricultural meteorology puts the science of meteorology to
the service of agriculture to help farmers to use their environment for producing more
and more agricultural output in terms of quantity as well as quality.

Agronomy/
Horticulture
Plant Plant
Pathology Physiology

Forestry
Agril.
Entomology

AGRICULTURAL
METEOROLOGY
Animal
Water Husbandry
management
and Agril.
Engg.
Social
Micro Science
meteorology
Meteorology
Hydro-
meteorology
climatology

AGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGY – A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE

The scope of agricultural meteorology could also be explained through different

ways and means as indicated below :
 To study climatic resources of a given area for effective crop planning.
 To evolve weather based effective farm operations.
 To. Study crop weather relationships in all important crops and forecast crop yields
based on agroclimatic and spectral indices using remote sensing.
 To study the relationship between weather factors and incidence of pests and
diseases of various crops.
 To delineate climatic/agro-ecological/agroclimatic zones for defining agroclimatic
analogues so as to make effective and fast transfer of technology for improving crop
yields.
 To prepare crop weather diagrams and crop weather calendars.
 To develop crop growth simulation models for assessing/obtaining potential yields
in different agroclimatic zones.
 To monitor agricultural drought crop-wise for effective drought management.
 To develop weather based agro-advisories to sustain crop production utilizing
various types of weather forecast and seasonal climate forecasts.
In the strict sense, the science of agricultural meteorology is different to that of
Agrometeorology though both are the same from operational point of view. The science
of agricultural meteorology deals with the application of meteorological skills on crops
and animals while Agrometeorology deals with crop husbandry only.
CONCEPT OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
WEATHER AND CLIMATE, WEATHER ELEMENTS AND
FACTORS AFFECTING THEM
Weather :
The physical state of atmosphere at a given point in time at a given location is
referred to as ‘Weather’. Weather is described in the terms of the instantaneous or short
period mean value of the various atmospheric variables such as pressure, temperature,
humidity, cloudiness, sunshine, evaporation and rainfall. Weather determines the period
of farming operations, modes and ease of transportation, reservoir storage, housing,
clouting, atmospheric pollution and comfort.
Climate :
Climate is a long term regime of the atmospheric variables or the composite of the
day-to-day values of the weather elements over a long period of given place or area. The
period of averaging weather may be several days, weeks, months, year or even centuries.
The climate normals are generally worked out for period of 30 years, which is considered
as the standard to express climatic conditions for a given place.
Distinction between weather and climate

Weather Climate
1. Refers to physical state of atmosphere 1. Refers to average state of weather (at
at a given time in terms of least 30 years of data is required to
temperature, rainfall, relative find out the climatic normal)
humidity and sunshine hours and so
on
2. Decides crop production and thereby 2. Decides geographical distribution of
crop productivity crops and farming system
3. Day to day farm operation are 3. Farm planning is dependent on
dependent on weather climate
4. Crop pest and disease incidence is 4. Hotspot areas of pest and disease
dependent on weather incidence and their geographical
distribution can be delineated on the
basis of climate
5. Extremes like floods and drought and 5. Extreme weather prone areas can be
clod and heat waves depend on delineated on the basis of climate
weather

Factors affecting weather elements :

Following factors affects the weather elements.
1) Latitude : It is defined as a angular distance of a place towards the North and South
form equator. Higher the latitude, lesser is the receipt of solar radiations resulting
in colder climate and vice versa.
2) Altitude : Means height of a place above mean sea level. Pressure and temperature
decreases with increase in altitude, although receipt of solar radiation may increase.
Since the density of air is less at higher attitude the absorbing capacity of air is
relatively less with reference to earth’s longwave radiation. This explains why the
surface air temperature at higher altitude is relatively low though it is relatively
nearer to the sun’s rays.

3) Topography – The term indicates the land surface is plane or uneven. On even
topography the wind speed is higher than the land with uneven topography. Wind
is the carrier of heat and water vapours from one place to another.

4) Mountains – Influences the climate by interfering the free flow of air currents and
interfering the rainfall and temperature e.g. Sahyadri ranges. Lot of rain is received
towards windward side and develops a rain shadow area towards leeward side.
5) Nearness to sea – Distance of a place from sea affects temperature and humidity
conditions of area. Water is slower to warm up and slower to cool, creating a
moderating effect on temperature near coastal area; humidity remains high near the
sea. The daily range of surface air temperature is less in coastal area when
compared to inland. The sea breezes during the daytime as well as land breeze in
nights are common phenomena in summer along the coastal regions.

6) Ocean currents – Ocean currents, carry tropical temperature towards temperate

areas, and cold waters toward tropical sea, thus changing the local climate.

7) Water bodies – Large water bodies like lakes, reservoirs etc. develops local breeze,
and also affects the temperature and humidity conditions of place similarly rainfall
is also increased in the nearby area.

8) Snow and ice cover

(Snow – flakes of frozen water)

Snow on the earth surface reflects the solar radiation efficiently therefore the
temperature of atmosphere is increased by absorbing these reflected radiations.
Similarly snow cover is bad conductor of heat therefore the soil temperature is also
maintained which saves the soil life/microbes.

9) Vegetation – In dense vegetation the atmospheric humidity is higher due to lot of

transpiration. Solar radiation receipts are less, due to foliage interception. Wind
velocity is less because of interruption of trees. Rainfall is usually higher in these
localities.

10) Permanent wind direction – It is affects the temperature, humidity condition of a

place as per weather conditions at windward side of permanent wind direction.