choice of crops in dryland ecosytems

1. Efficient crops and cropping
systems in dry land agriculture
Submitted by
Surendra P
UGS15AGR7776
3rd year BSc(Agri)
Submitted to :
Dr S B Manjunath
Assistant proff
Dept of Agronomy
COA H`MATTI

2.  Introduction
 Terminologies
 Constraints in dryland farming
 Crop selection in drylands
 Cropping systems in dry lands
 Cropping systems for different regions under dryland
in India
 Conclusion
Contents

3.  Indian agriculture is predominantly a rainfed agriculture under
which both dry farming and dry land agriculture is included.
 Dry farming was the earlier concept for which amount of
rainfall (less then 500 mm annually) remained the deciding
factor for more then 50 years.
 In modern concept, dry land areas are those where the balance
of moisture is always on the deficit side. In other words, annual
evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation.
Introduction

4. Season /period m ha m Percent
Winter (jan - feb) 12 3
Pre monsoon(mar - may) 52 13
South – west
monsoon(jun-sep)
296 74
North – east monsoon(oct-
dec)
40 10
Total of the year 400 100
Rainfall pattern in India

5.  Rainfed farming comprises about 91% area of coarse cereals
(sorghum, pearl millet, maize and finger millet), 91% pulses
(chickpea and pigeon pea), 80% of oilseeds (groundnut, rape
seed, mustard and soybeen), and 65% of cotton. Also, about 50%
area under rice and 19% area under wheat is rainfed.
 . According to the present concept, there are 128 districts in
the country which face the problems of dry land of these 25
districts covering 18 m. ha of net area sown with 10 % irrigation
receive 375-750 mm rainfall annually spread over Central
Rajasthan, Saurashtra region of Gujarat and rain shadow region
of Western Ghats in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

6.  . Twelve districts have irrigation covering 30-50% of the cropped
area and do not pose serious problems. The remaining 91 districts
covering mainly Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, parts of Haryana, Tamil Nadu
etc., represent typical dry land area.
 The total net sown area in these districts is estimated to be 42
million hectares of which 5 m ha are irrigated. Rainfall in these
districts varies from 375 to 1125 mm. therefore, more and more
efforts are to be made for enhanced and stable production in
these areas so that the recurring droughts do not stand in the
way of meeting the growing food demands.

7.  Cropping system :
Pattern of crops taken up for a given piece of land
or order in which the crops are cultivated on a piece of
land over a fixed period.
The objective of cropping system is efficient utilization of
all resources
Cropping system is the sub set or a part of farming
system.
Terminologies

8.  Farming system:
it is defined as a system of farming which includes
crop production ,raising livestock ,poultry ,fisheries
,beekeeping, etc.
The main objective of farming system is
subsistence
Cropping system is an important concept of
farming system.

9.  Cropping pattern :
Yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of
crops on a given area.
Means the proportion of area under various
crops at a point of time in a unit area.
This means the type and arrangement of crops
in time and space .

10.  Inadequate rainfall , improper distribution
over time, moisture stress during the
critical stages of crop growth , erratic
behaviour of monsoon and poor fertility
status of dryland limit the crop production
and so lead to less yield of crops and so net
returns per unit area
Constraints in dryland cropping

11. Rain fall Storage capacity of soil Cropping pattern
350-625 100 Single crop in kharif
650-750 100 Intercropping can be attempted
780-900 150 Sequential cropping is possible
900 & above 200 Sequential cropping is assured
Cropping pattern with varying rainfall
and soil moisture storage capacity

12. 1. CLIMATE: Rainfall, temperature, humidity, sunshine are the main
components of climate .
However ,rainfall is the main item considered for determining
the effective cropping/growing season of a dry area.
The effective cropping season ,often called as Length of
growing period(LGP)., of dry land area generally depends upon the
natural moisture availability in the soil.
The average LGS along with type of soil, particularly the Water
holding capacity is required for determining the sequence of cropping
in a particular area.
Crop selection in Drylands

13. Length of growing period Cropping system that can be adapted
Less than 75 days Perennial vegetation / mono cropping with
short duration pulses
75-140 days Monocropping
140-180 days Intercropping
> 180 days Double cropping

14. 2. GENETIC CAPABILITY OF CROPS TO PRODUCE ECONOMICALLY IN THE
SOILS OF LOW MOISTURE STATUS: Deep root system &thin or small leaf
surface& deciduous type & climbers/creeping types & Leguminous crops
,etc…preferable
3. Characters to choice crops and its varieties :
a) Short duration
b) They should be photo insensitive
c) Initial fast growing habit to withstand aberrant weather conditions.
d) Low water requirement crops.
e) Crops having strong and penetrating root system ,which can tap
water from large part of soil.

15. Among field crops safflower, sesame, sorghum, coarse
cereals, chick and pigeon pea, black and g. gram, g.nut
fingermillet, horsegram, castor, maize, sunflower, gram,
cotton, tobacco, are recommended in dry areas
4. Availability of soil moisture and supplemental
irrigation water
5.Storability ,marketability and commercial value of
produce .

16.  Normally only one crop is grown under
dryland condition during the rainy season.
However, the intensity of cropping can be
increased through sequential or
intercropping , depending on the rainfall
and moisture storage capacity of the soil.
Cropping systems in drylands

17. A. Mono cropping: growing of same crop on the same land
year after year.
Ex: cultivation of sorghum over the years on the same
piece of land
B. Multiple cropping : growing of two or more crops on the
same field in a year. Different types of multiple cropping
includes,
i. Inter cropping : Two or more crops simultaneously on the
same piece of land with proper row arrangement
Ex: Red gram+ G.nut (1:7)
Cropping systems

18. 1.Parallel cropping : cultivation of such crops which have
different natural habitat and zero competition
Ex: Blackgram / G.gram + maize .
2.Companion cropping : production of both intercrops is
equal to that of its solid planting
Ex : Mustard /potato/ onion + sugarcane.
3.Synergistic intercropping : The yield of both crops are
higher than that of their pure crops
Ex : Sugarcane + Potato
Types of inter cropping

19. 4.Multistoried / multilevel /multi tiered :cultivation of two or
more crops with different heights on the same piece of land
Ex : Sugarcane +Mustard + Onion/ Potato.
5. Mixed inter cropping : growing of two or more crops
simultaneously with no distinct row arrangement.
6. Row intercropping : Here, 2 or more crops grown
simultaneously ,where one or more crops are grown in rows

20. 7. Patch cropping : The component crops are planted in patches
8.Strip intercropping : 2 or more crops simultaneously in strips
wide enough to permit independent cultivation but narrow
enough for the crops to interact agronomically.
Ex: Groundnut + Red gram ( 6 :4 )
ii. Relay cropping : 2nd cropping is planted before harvest of
1st crop, but after reproductive stage of 1st crop
Ex: potato is planted before harvesting of maize.
Double , triple or Quadraple cropping means growing of 2 , 3 , 4
crops respectively

21. iii. Sequence cropping : 2 or more crops in a sequence on the
same field in a farming year The succeeding crop is planted
after the preceding crop harvested.
Ex: Pulses after rice harvesting.
iv. Ratoon cropping : Cultivation of crop from regrowth of
previous same crop stubbles
Ex : Sorghum, Sugarcane.
v. Paira / Utera cropping :growing of such crops a few days
or weeks before harvesting of standing mature crop.
Ex : Lathyrus in Rice