Utilizing untapped potential of rice fallow of East and North-east India through pulse production

Abstract

Rainfed areas of the country- characterized by its complex
nature, diverse and fragile ecosystem and distress prone
production system - play a key role in country’s food
production and economy. It is estimated that about 11.695
m ha in India remains fallow after rice harvest, of which
around 82% lies in the Eastern India and the rest falls in
three southern states viz., Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh. These areas have a vast potential to
cultivate low input and low water requiring upland pulse
crops (such as lentil, chickpea, lathyrus, mungbean and
urdbean). However, depletion of soil moisture content
following rice harvest affects timely sowing and receiving
in of poor returns out of these ecosystems. Lack of life
saving/supplementary irrigation at critical stages causes
further soil moisture scarcity and hampers plant growth
and crop productivity per se. Conservation agriculture
through zero tillage, crop residue retention and crop rotation
involving suitable genotypes influence pulses crop in
rotation after rice. Two cropping systems viz., relay cropping
of pulses in standing rice, and crop rotation after harvest
of rice have potential for popularization and adoption
depending on agro-ecosystem involved. Yet, these
constrained areas require an understanding of ecology,
constraints analysis and situation specific remedies.
Keeping these facts, some potential management
considerations involving suitable pulses varieties, zero
tillage, relay cropping, residue retention, mulching, seed
priming, life saving irrigations and foliar sprays of nutrients
were suggested that could help in improving pulses
productivity under challenging rice fallow conditions.