Ritika Lamichhane and Olga S. Walsh
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Idaho, Parma R&E Center
Drought is simply a prolonged period of water shortage. Drought can be caused by deficiency of water supply, increase in water demand, or both. Drought starts with less than usual precipitation and its persistence results in a decline in reservoir levels, river flow, and ground water levels. Agricultural drought occurs when the amount of soil moisture no longer meets the crop demand. The severity of drought depends on the degree of moisture deficiency, the duration, and the size of affected area. Drought can have tremendous negative effects on agricultural sector since it reduces both water availability and quality for farming. This significantly impacts the agricultural productivity.
