DROUGHT; INFLUENCE OF DROUGHT IN AGRICULTURE AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR DROUGHT-A REVIEWKARAN VERMA, PRATIBHA, RAJJU PRIYA SONI, PRAVEEN KUMAR, DIMPLE CHAUHAN5 AND ANU ALPHONSA AUGUSTINEAbstract Drought is one of the major stress factors affecting the growth and development of plants. In this context, drought-related losses of crop plant productivity impede sustainable agriculture all over the world. In general, plants respond to water deficits by multiple physiological and metabolic adaptations at the molecular, cellular, and organism levels. Drought can have a serious impact on health, agriculture, economies, energy and the environment. An estimated 55 million people globally are affected by droughts every year, and they are the most serious hazard to livestock and crops in nearly every part of the world. Drought threatens peopleâs livelihoods, increases the risk of disease and death, and fuels mass migration. Water scarcity impacts 40% of the worldâs population and as many as 700 million people are at-risk of being displaced as a result of drought by 2030. Rising temperatures caused by climate change are making already dry regions drier and wet regions wetter. In dry regions, this means that when temperatures rises, water evaporates more quickly, and thus increases the risk of drought or prolongs periods of drought. Between 80-90% of all documented disasters from natural hazards during the past 10 years have resulted from floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, heat waves and severe storms. |