The moisture, that is necessary for the sustenance of a crop or a vegetation species, can be best derived from knowledge of the moisture adequacy index. The moisture adequacy index is a true representative of moisture effectivity, thus, can be used in correlative studies of vegetation in relation to climate.
The information on spatial and temporal availability of moisture adequacy index could be helpful for the optimum utilization of water resources.
The MAI is prime factor for crop planning especially in tropics and varies both in time and space.
MAI is worked out on the basis of average monthly rainfall.
Droughts affect the agricultural production and agricultural droughts of high severity cripple the economy of a State. To assess the agricultural drought, it is necessary to measure the extent to which rainfall and soil moisture is falling short of the water requirement of crops during the cropping season.
Moisture Adequacy Index (MAI) is a better measure for assessing the degree of adequacy of rainfall and soil moisture to meet the potential water requirement of crops.
Methodology for calculating MAI
Moisture Adequacy Index (MAI) is the ratio of actual evapotranspiration (AET) to the potential evapotranspiration (PET). Agricultural droughts during different seasons (years) were classified into four groups based on average MAI during the season.
