In this article we will discuss about the cropping system of pulses in India.
In traditional cropping systems, pulses are often intercropped or mixed with other crops, primarily due to their long duration with slow initial growth. As sole crops, long duration varieties have limited scope under rainfed conditions.
In recent years, however, the advent of short duration genotypes has led to introduction of purses as sole crops, especially in irrigated and assured rainfall areas. Some of the short duration pulses have also shown promise in irrigated intensive cropping systems.
Sequence Cropping:
Short duration pulse crops can be fitted in a series of multiple cropping systems with cereals and other commercial crops (Table 8.10).
Under dryland conditions, double cropping of pigeonpea—wheat has been successful because of early maturing pigeonpea even though wheat planting is delayed until mid-December. However, wheat is grown as irrigated crop after rainfed pigeonpea in northern parts of the country. In northeast plains, postrainy season pigeonpea is grown as a sole crop after a kharif cereal or a pulse crop.
Suitability of various sequential systems under irrigated conditions (Table 8.11) in northeastern, central and northwestern parts of the country indicated that greengram after wheat is very productive system. Blackgram and greengram are grown late in rainy season after upland direct seeded rice, jute and maize and maize or in Peninsular region after the harvest of transplanted rice.
Summer Greengram:
One of the major achievements in pulses production during the last two decades has been intensification of short duration varieties. The major impact has come from greengram cultivation during summer under irrigation. The crop duration falls between the harvest of rabi and sowing of kharif crops for a period of three months when the land remain fallow.
Traditionally, greengram is a khar if crop from June-July to September-October, largely under rainfed conditions. With the advent of short duration varieties, it has been possible to adjust pulse crop between the two major crops.
After the harvest of wheat, potato, sugarcane or even chickpea in irrigated areas of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Bihar, short duration photo and thermo insensitive greengram, blackgram or cowpea can be grown as an additional crop during summer before planting kharif crops like rice, maize, sorghum, pearlmillet and pigeonpea. Similarly, in the rice fallows of south India, summer pulses have an important place.
Summer Pigeonpea:
Traditional long duration pigeonpeas are largely grown as intercrops in cereals during kharif. With the advent of early maturing varieties (130-150 days), there has been shift in the cropping systems during the last two decades. It is now possible to sow pigeonpea by the end of June or first week of July and harvest in the middle of November or first week of December, permitting wheat crop in rabi (winter).
In economic terms, it is more profitable to follow pigeonpea-wheat system than maize/sorghum/pearlmillet—wheat system because not only the pigeonpea yields are higher but also market price is two to three times higher as compared to other cereal crops.
Pigeonpea—wheat system has become extremely popular in northwestern part of the country comprising the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi where it is rapidly replacing minor cereals and millets. Pigeonpea is also replacing rice cultivation in areas with limited supply of irrigation water.
Intercropping:
An ideal intercropping system should aim at:
1. Greater stability in production under aberrant weather conditions.
2. Yield advantage per unit area through better use of natural resources, minimising incidence of pests, diseases and weeds and improving nitrogen economy in legume association.
3. Meeting the domestic needs of the formers.
4. Providing an equitable distribution of farm resources.
In India, pulse crops have been grown for centuries, as mixed crops with cereals and commercial crops under sub-marginal conditions. Mixed cropping, though, prevalent in certain areas is gradually being replaced by intercropping. Prominent intercropping systems involving pulses component in India are given in Table 8.12.
Alternate Row Technique:
This is the most common pattern in intercropping, where the component crops are grown in alternate rows. Row to row distance is, generally, maintained as recommended for a sole crop. The plant population of component crop is, generally, less than that of the sole crops.
Paired Row Technique:
Also known as skip row technique is aimed at maintaining the population of component crops same as in sole crops by modifying row spacing. This could be illustrated by planting two rows of one of the component crops 30 cm apart with 60 cm between next pair of rows as compared with conventional rows spacing of 45 cm. Thus, modified geometry leaves the number of rows of major component crop giving enough space of 60 cm for additional rows of intercrop.