AMT 201: Introductory Agrometeorology
Credit Hours: 2 (2+0)
Full Marks: 50 (Theory: 50, Practical: 0)
Course Objectives
Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Understand atmospheric processes and weather/climate conditions.
- Measure and analyze meteorological variables relevant to agriculture.
- Use agrometeorological forecasting tools and remote sensing/GIS for crop decision-making.
- Understand climate change impacts and agro-climatic zoning in Nepal.
I. Syllabus
- Definitions, scope, and role of agrometeorology in agriculture.
- Meteorological variables: air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, soil temperature/moisture, precipitation, wind, sunshine duration.
- Measurement techniques, housing for instruments, statistical analysis of variables.
- Evaporation and transpiration: factors affecting rates, estimation of evapotranspiration.
- Agro-meteorological normals for crops, crop zonation, and significance for production.
- Weather and climate forecasting: now-casting, short-range, medium-range, long-range forecasts.
- Drought and flood classifications; major events affecting Nepalese agriculture.
- Agro-meteorological models (DSSAT, CROPWAT).
- Climate change and impacts on agriculture in Nepal.
- Automatic weather station (AWS) technologies: sensors, data loggers, communication, advantages over manual observation.
- Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) applications in agriculture.
II. Course Outline
| S.N. | Topic | No. of Lectures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definitions, scope, and role of agro-meteorology in agriculture | 2 |
| 2 | Agro-meteorological variables and measurement (temperature, RH, solar radiation, soil moisture/temperature, precipitation, wind, sunshine, evaporation) | 6 |
| 3 | Agro-meteorological normals for main crops; housing for instruments; statistical calculations of meteorological variables | 3 |
| 4 | Weather and climate forecasts for agriculture; types of forecasts (NC, VSRF, SRF, MRF, LRF); Nepal scenario | 3 |
| 5 | Weather vs climate; climatic classifications (Köppen, Thornthwaite); climates of Nepal | 2 |
| 6 | Drought and flood; major events in Nepal; drought classifications, aridity index | 2 |
| 7 | Agro-meteorological models: DSSAT, CROPWAT | 2 |
| 8 | Climate change and agricultural impacts; variability, atmospheric changes, hydrology, crop and livestock impacts in Nepal | 3 |
| 9 | Agro-climatic zoning of Nepal | 2 |
| 10 | Automatic weather station technologies; components, sensors, data loggers, advantages and limitations | 4 |
| Total | 30 |
References
- Mavi, H.S., & Tupper, G.J. (2004). Agro-meteorology: Principles and Applications of Climate Studies in Agriculture. Haworth Press.
- Mavi, H.S. (1998). Introduction to Agro-Meteorology. Oxford & IBH.
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO). (2008). Guidelines for Curricula in Agricultural Meteorology No. 258.
- Rao, G.S.L.H.V. Prasad (2008). Agricultural Meteorology. Prentice Hall of India.
- Sabins, J.R. Remote Sensing Principles and Interpretation. W.H. Freeman & Co.
- Heywood, I., Cornelius, S., & Carver, S. (1999). An Introduction to Geographic Information System. Addison-Wesley.
- Chrisman, N. (1997). Exploring Geographic Information System. John Wiley & Sons.
