Crop interventions for abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in rainfed crops

Abstract

The growing global population and climate change are intensifying the pressure on agricultural production, particularly in rainfed regions. Rainfed agriculture plays a vital role in global food production, especially in regions dependent on irregular and unpredictable rainfall patterns. However, these crops are highly vulnerable to both biotic (pests, diseases, weeds) and abiotic stresses (drought, heat, salinity, and nutrient deficiencies). Implementing effective crop interventions is critical to enhance the resilience and productivity of rainfed crops. Different crop interventions that mitigate biotic and abiotic stress are timely sowing, crop rotation, use of resistant cultivars, intercropping, cover crops, and trap crops. Each of these interventions offer cost-effective and ecologically sustainable methods to reduce the impact of biotic and or abiotic stress while promoting crop health and productivity.