In this article we will discuss about the irrigated and rainfed cropping system of wheat in India.
1. Major Irrigated Systems:
Rice-Wheat:
It is the most important system of irrigated areas and widely practiced in the Gangetic plain region in around 10.5 M ha. From the productivity point of view, the Trans-Gangetic plain covering the states of Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh may be classified as very high productivity zone.
In most situations, wheat is sown by broadcasting 100-150 kg ha-1 seed except in Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh, where wheat is sown with seed-cum-fertiliser drill. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, wheat sowing is often delayed for want of adequate soil moisture and tilth after rice.
Use of nitrogen up to 200 kg ha-1 for wheat is most common. Recommended fertiliser schedule is necessary for both the crops in the system. Wheat seeding is delayed mainly due to late harvest of long duration basmati rice and certain extent due to late rains in north western states.
Saline and alkali soils and brackish irrigation water in south western Uttar Pradesh limit rice- wheat productivity. Prolonged rainy season and excessive moisture during kharif in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal result in delayed wheat sowing and poor crop establishment.
Maize-Wheat:
It is one of the predominant systems of northern India. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have sizeable area under this system. Around 60 per cent of total area under maize during kharif is planted by wheat during rabi. Maize receives due attention compared to wheat. Heavy weed infestation of wheat crop and poor recycling of organic wastes leading to multiple nutrient deficiencies limit wheat productivity.
Sugarcane-Wheat:
This system is practiced in 0.6 M ha in northwestern parts of the country in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Bihar. This is of primary importance in eight districts of Uttar Pradesh, namely; Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Haridwar, Bijnor, Moradabad, Bulandshahor and Ghaziabad.
It is of second importance in Jorhat, Sibsagar and Sonilpur districts of Assam, Ahmednagar and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra and Belgam district of Karnataka.
Irrigation to wheat crop, prior to harvest, serves as presowing irrigation for sugarcane planting. Simultaneous planting of both the crops in the middle of December is beneficial compared to late planted sugarcane. Sugarcane is planted in rows 72 cm apart and three rows of wheat are sown between two rows of sugarcane. Wheat is fertilised with 120, 60 and 40 kg NPK ha-1 but sugarcane is not fertilised at planting.
Soon after the harvest of wheat, the field is irrigated and fertilisers are top dressed for sugarcane. High temperatures and low humidity during sowing time (April-May) in this system is not ideal for sugarcane germination and establishment. Wheat sowings are usually delayed due to late start of sugar mills.
Cotton-Wheat:
Cultivation of wheat after short duration cotton is in about 80 per cent of the cotton growing area covering around 2 M ha in southwestern parts of Punjab and Haryana, western Rajasthan and adjoining parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Cotton is usually sown in mid-May to take up wheat sowings in time. Insect pests are major problem in cotton coinciding growth and fruiting phases with active monsoon. Late seeding of wheat often results in poor yields.
2. Major Rainfed Systems:
Rainfed wheat is grown as postmonsoon crop on stored soil moisture, especially on heavy black soils with high moisture retentive capacity in central and Peninsular India. In the traditional system, wheat is rotated with sorghum, pearlmillet, cotton or groundnut in the preceding year.
Quick maturing crops such as pulses, sesame, coriander or early sown short duration maize, groundnut, pearlmillet as catch crops before wheat are fairly common. Cropping systems in rainfed agriculture are usually location specific to meet the food needs of farmers.
Due to vagaries of monsoon, both in time and space, intercropping is the dominant system in rainfed agriculture. As such there is no scope for a sequence crop of wheat during rabi unless the land is kept fallow during kharif.
Following are some of the rainfed cropping systems in different parts of the country:
All over India, wheat is intercropped with barley, mustard, gram, lentil and safflower. A row of mustard or safflower for every 8 to 12 rows of wheat is popular although the wheat rowing area.