Relationship between climate (rainfall) and crop production in Pacitan

Abstract

Suciantini. 2015. Relationship between climate (rainfall) and crop production in Pacitan. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1 (2): 358-365. Growth and quality of crops depend on the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Genetic factors correspond with characteristics that are usually unique to the plants. One of the environmental factors that control the plant’s potential is climate/weather. One element of climate that can be used as an indicator in relation to plants is rainfall. Variability of rainfall is usually associated with variability in seasonal crops, especially in Indonesia. It is recently recognized that the occurrence of extreme climate has a significant impact on crops production. This paper describes fluctuation in crop production and crop area related with rainfall fluctuation in Pacitan. Secondary data were obtained from Department of Food Crops and Livestock District Pacitan, Department of Public Works and Irrigation District Pacitan and Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG). Data collected were including crop varieties, planting area, harvested area, and climate data (esp. daily and monthly rainfall), as well as planting pattern in crop production center. The results showed that planting area and crop production was moderately affected by the rainfall, mainly in extreme climatic conditions such as the El Nino or La Nina.