The document describes major cropping systems and prominent crop sequences practiced in different agro-climatic zones and states in India. It provides details of cropping patterns in 15 agro-climatic zones based on soil type, rainfall, and irrigation potential. It also lists promising rice-based cropping systems in different regions of India and crop sequences adopted in various states. Finally, it summarizes cropping systems practiced in different districts of Tamil Nadu under garden lands, wetlands, and drylands.

1. Major cropping systems prevailing
in India and Tamil Nadu for
different agro eco systems

2. No Agro climatic zones Sub-zones
1. Western Himalayan Region Ladakh, Kashmir, Punjab, Jammu etc.
Brown soils & silty loam, steep slopes.
2. Eastern Himalayan Region Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Darjeeling.
Manipur etc. High rainfall and high forest
covers heavy soil erosion, Floods.
3. Lower Gangetic plain Region West Bengal, Soils mostly alluvial & are
prone to floods.
4. Middle Gangetic plain Region Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, High rainfall, 39%
irrigation, cropping intensity 142%
5. Upper Gangetic Plain Region North region of U.P. (32 Dists) irrigated by
canal & tube wells, good ground water
6. Trans Gangetic plain Region Punjab, Haryana, Union Territory of Delhi,
Highest sown area and irrigated high
7. Eastern Plateaus & Hills Region Chota Nagpur, Garhjat hills, M.P, Bengal,
Orissa, soils shallow to medium sloppy,
undulating. Irrigation tank & tube wells.
Agro climatic zones of India :- (Planning commission 1989)

3. No Agro climatic zones Sub-zones
8. Central Plateau & Hills Region M. Pradesh
9. Western Plateau & Hills Region Sahara dry, M.P. Rainfall 904 mm, Sown area 65% ,
Forest 11%, Irrigation 12.4%
10. Southern Plateau & Hills Region Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Typically
semi-arid zone, Dry land Farming 81%, Cropping
Intensity 110%
11. East coast plains & Hills Region Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Soils: alluvial,
coastal sand, Irrigation
12. West coast plains & Hills Region Sourashtra, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Variety of cropping Pattern, rainfall & soil
types.
13. Gujarat plains & Hills Region Gujarat (19 Dists) Low rainfall arid zone. Irrigation
32% , well and tube wells.
14. Western Dry Region Rajasthan (9 Dists) Hot. Sandy, Desert, Rainfall
erratic, high evaporation. Scanty vegetation, famine,
draughts are common
15. The Island Region Eastern Andaman, Nikobar, Western Lakshadweep.
Typical equatorial, rainfall 3000 mm (9 months) forest
zone undulating.

4. Promising rice based cropping systems in India
Systems Region
Rice – Indian mustard
Rice – wheat – sorghum (Fodder)
Rice – wheat- green gram
Rice – Mustard
Rice – field bean
Rice – groundnut
Rice – black gram/sesame/cotton
Rice – groundnut
Rice – mustard
Rice – wheat – jute
Rice – groundnut
Rice – green gran
Kashmir valley
Jammu region
Punjab, Haryana, U.P
North Konkan
South Gujarat
South Karnataka
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
(Old Cauvery delta)
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
(New Cauvery delta)
Assam
West Bengal
Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Orissa
Eastern Madhya Pradesh

5. Region System
Western Haryana
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
North Gujarat
Sourashtra region – Gujarat
Western Maharashtra
Marathwada region of Vidarba
region
North Karnataka
South Karnataka
Cotton – wheat
Groundnut – wheat
Soybean – wheat
Pearl millet – mustard
Cotton – groundnut
Sorghum/ Groundnut – wheat
Cotton – groundnut
Sorghum – bengalgram
Cotton - groundnut
Crop sequences under irrigated upland conditions
Potential cropping systems for different agro climatic situations

6. Cropping systems for dry lands
• Important factors such as total rainfall, soil
type and water availability have to be
considered while practicing a particular
cropping pattern in a place/region.
• Cropping system for different regions as
suggested from the results of AICARP are
given in the following table

7. Cropping systems for different region of India under dry lands
Regions/soil type Crops
Kharif Rabi
Northern Region
Samba (Jammu)
Punjab
Hisar (Haryana)
Arid soils
(Sierozemic soils)
Central Region
Dehra Dun (Uttar Pradesh)
Agra (Uttar Pradesh)
Entisols (Alluvial soils)
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
Entisols (Alluvial soils)
Maize
Green gram
Cowpea
Sunflower
Groundnut
Pearl millet
Sorghum
Maize
Pear millet
(Mono cropping is the rule)
Maize
Rice (upland)
Gram
Pearl millet
Sesame
Bengal gram
Rice
Pearl millet
Wheat
Barley
Wheat
Wheat/barley
Barley
Bengal gram
Wheat
Wheat/Potato / Barley
Cluster bean /Chickpea
Wheat
Wheat/ Bengal gram
Mustard
Chickpea/Barley
Chickpea/Mustard
Barley/Mustard
Chickpea / Mustard
Chickpea / Mustard

8. Regions/soil type Crops
Kharif Rabi
Eastern Region
Ranchi (Bihar)
Alfisols and related red soils
Bhubaneswar (Orissa)
Alfisols and related red soils
Rewa region (M.P)
Vertisols and black soils
Jhansi region (M.P)
Vertisols and related black soils
Indore (M.P)
Vertisols and related black soils
Western Region
Udaipur (Rajasthan)
(Vertisols and related black soils)
Anand (Gujarat)
Rice
Maize
Rice
Finger millet
Maize
Rice
Sorghum
Green gram
Sorghum
Pearl millet
Black gram
Sesame
Maize
Soybean
Soybean
Green gram
Sorghum
Pearl millet
Maize
Black gram
Sunflower
Pearl millet
Pigeon pea
Chickpea / Linseed/Barley
Rapeseed / Bengal gram
Linseed / Mustard
Horse gram
Horse gram
Chickpea / Lentil
Bengal gram / wheat
Wheat /Chickpea
Bengal gram
Bengal gram
Safflower / Chickpea
Bengal gram
Chickpea
Safflower
Wheat
Safflower
Bengal gram
Bengal gram
Wheat
Wheat
-
Wheat
-

9. Regions/soil type Crops
Kharif Rabi
Akola (Maharashtra)
Vertisols and related black soils
Sholapur / Maharashtra
Vertisols
Southern regions
Anantapur (AP)
Mono-cropping is generally adopted
Hyderabad
Alfisol
Bijapur
Vertisols
Bangalore (Karnataka)
Alfisols
Mysore (Karnataka)
Bellary (Karnataka)
Kovilpatti (TN) – rainfed vertisols
Castor
Sunflower
Green gram
Sorghum
Green gram
Pearl millet
Black gram
Sorghum
Pearl millet
Black gram
Green gram
Cowpea
Pearl millet
Sorghum
Sorghum
Green gram
Cowpea
Cowpea
Groundnut
Setaria
Pearl millet
Cotton
Black gram
-
-
-
Safflower
Safflower
Safflower
Bengal gram
Sorghum
Safflower / Horse gram
Cowpea / Black gram
Sorghum
Pearl millet
Pearl millet / Sorghum
Cowpea
Horse gram
Green gram / Black gram
Sorghum / Safflower
Finger millet
Chilli
Sorghum
Safflower
Cotton
Sorghum
Bengal gram
Safflower
Cotton + black gram , Sorghum, Pearl millet, Cowpea,
Horse Gram, Chilli

10. Crop sequences in different states of India
State Crop sequences State Crop sequences
Himachal
Pradesh
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
Soybean – wheat
Soybean –potato
Maize –wheat
Pearl millet
Wheat – cowpea (f)
Maize –wheat
Cluster bean (f)
Pearl millet
Wheat –maize
Maize –wheat
Pearl –millet (f)
Sorghum –wheat-
green gram/ cowpea
Rajasthan
Madhya
Pradesh
Pearl millet
Wheat – green gram
Green gram
Wheat – green gram
Maize – wheat
Cowpea
Maize – wheat
green gram
f-fodder

11. Cropping System for Tamil Nadu
Districts Garden land Wet land Dry land
Kancheepuram Rice-Veg
(Aug-Jan) (Jan-Sep)
Rice-cumbu
(Sep-Jan)(May-July)
Rice
(Sep-Dec)
Thiruvallur Vegetables
(Feb-May)
Semi dry rice
(Sep-Jan)
Ground nut+red gram
(Sep-Jan)
Vellore Cane-ratoon
(Dec-Jan) 2 yr rotation
Banana-banana
2 yr rotation
Ground nut – rice -rice
(Jan-Sep)(June-Sep)(Oct-
Jan)
Ground nut+red gram
(June-Oct)
Thiruvannamalai Rice- Ground nut-cumbu
(Aug-Jan)(Jan-Apr) (May-
July)
Rice- Ground nut
(Aug-Jan)(Jan-Apr)
Groundnut-pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Nov)
Cuddalore Rice-Rice
(June-Sep)(Dec-May)
Tapioca+ Ground nut
(Oct-Aug)
Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Jan-
May)
Rice-Pulses
(Aug-Feb)(Feb-May)
Cumbu-
Groundnut/pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)
Villupuram Rice-Rice
(Aug-Jan)(Jan-May)
Rice-Rice-fallow/Pulses
(Aug-Jan)(Jan-May)
(June-Aug)
Rice-Pulses
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-May)
Groundnut-pulses
(June-Oct)(Nov-Feb)

12. Districts Garden land Wet land Dry land
Tanjore Rice/Groundnut-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Nov)
Rice-Rice-Pulses/sesame
(June-Sep)(Sep-Jan) (Jan-May)
Groundnut/pulses
(Oct-Nov)
Nagapattinam Coconut groove Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Sep-Feb) (Feb-May)
Groundnut/pulses
(Oct-Nov)
Thiruvarur Coconut groove Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Sep-Feb) (Feb-May)
Rice-Pulses
(Sep-Jan)(Jan-May)
Groundnut/pulses
(Oct-Nov)
Trichy Rice - Groundnut /
sorghum
(Aug-Dec)(Dec-Mar)
Banana-Rice
2 yr rotation
Rice-Rice-Pulses/sesame
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Rice-Pulses/sesame
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Red gram+ Groundnut
(Aug-Dec)
Cotton/Chilli (Aug-
Dec)
Millet-Horse gram
(Oct-Jan)
Karur Rice/Chillies-Millets/Oil
Seeds
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-May)
Groundnut- Rice- Millets
(June-Sep)(Sep-Jan)(Feb-May)
Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Feb)(Feb-Apr)
Sorghum/Groundnut
+ Red gram (June-
Sep)
Perambalur Cotton + Onion-
Sorghum
(Oct-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Rice- Cotton
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-May)
Sorghum/ Cotton/
Pulses
(Oct-Jan)

13. Districts Garden land Wet land Dry land
Pudhukottai Banana-Banana
(July-June) 2 yr rotation
Sugarcane+Soybean-Ratoon
(Dec-Jan) 2 yr rotation
Rice-Pulses/sesame
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Sal ragi-Varagu
(July-Dec)(Sep-Jan)
Madurai Cotton - Sesame / Chilli /
Pulses
(Feb-June)(July-Jan)
Rice-Banana
2 yr rotation
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-Nov)
Rice-Rice-Pulses/sesame
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Jan-
May)
Rice- Sugarcane/Banana
(Aug-Jan) rotation
Cotton/Groundnut
+Pulses
(Oct-Feb)
Theni Sugarcane-Ratoon
(Dec-Jan) 2 yr rotation
Cotton-Maize
(Oct-Feb)(Mar-May)
Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Feb-
Apr)
Green manure- Rice-Rice
(Feb-Apr) (June-Sep)(Oct-
Jan)
Sorghum + Red gram
Maize/ Sorghum
(Oct-Feb)
Dindigul Rice- Cotton-pulses
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-June)(July-Aug)
Sugarcane-Ratoon
2 yr rotation
Rice-Pulses
(Aug-Jan)(Sep-May)
Sorghum/Cumbu
(Oct-Jan)
Hill banana
Ramanathapuram Rice- Cotton/pulses
(Sep-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Sugarcane-Ratoon
2 yr rotation
Rice-Pulses
(Sep-Feb)(Feb-May)
Rice / Chilli / Pulses /
Groundnut
(Sep-Jan)
Sivagangai Sugarcane-Ratoon
2 yr rotation
Groundnut- Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Sep-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Rice-Pulses
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-May)
Groundnut + Red gram
(Oct-Jan)

14. Districts Garden land Wet land Dry land
Vridhunagar Chilli-Cotton
(Sep-Feb)(Feb-Aug)
Cotton- Cumbu
(Feb-Aug)(Sep-Jan)
Rice-Rice-Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Feb)(Mar-May)
Groundnut -Coriander
(Oct-Jan)(Jan-Mar)
Thirunelveli Rice-Pulses
(Oct-Feb)(Mar-May)
Sugarcane/ Banana
2 yr rotation
Rice-Rice-Pulses/fallow
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Feb-May)
Sorghum /Groundnut /
sesame
(Oct-Nov)
Thoothukudi Cotton-Groundnut
(Sep-Mar)(Apr-June)
Chilli-Cotton
(Sep-Feb)(Feb-Aug)
Rice-Rice-Pulses/sesame
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Feb-Apr)
Banana-Rice- Pulses/sesame
(June-May)(Jan-Sep)(Oct-Jan)
2 yr rotation
Cotton+Black gram
(Oct-Feb)
Coriander/Sunflower/
Fodder sorghum
(Nov-Jan)
Salem Tapioca+ Groundnut
(May-Feb)
Cotton- Sorghum
(Aug-Feb)(Feb-Apr)
Rice- Groundnut
(Oct-Jan)(Feb-May)
Groundnut + Redgram /
castor
(July-Jan)
Namakkal Tapioca+ Groundnut
(May-Feb)
Cotton- Sorghum
(Aug-Feb)(Feb-Apr)
Rice- Groundnut
(Oct-Jan)(Feb-May)
Groundnut + Redgram /
castor
(July-Jan)
Dharmapuri Rice-Ragi/Tomato/
Groundnut
(June-Oct)(Nov-Apr)
Veg-Veg-Veg
(June-Oct) (Nov-Jan) (Feb-
May)
Rice/Groundnut- Rice- Ragi
(June-Oct)(Nov-Mar)(Apr-June)
Groundnut/Ragi -
Horse gram
(June-Oct)(Nov-Jan)

15. Districts Garden land Wet land Dry land
Coimbatore Sorghum+Cowpea – Ragi
- Cotton
(Mar-May)(June-Aug)
(Aug-Oct)
Maize- Rice- fallow
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)
Rice-Rice
(Apr-Aug)(Oct-Feb)
Cane-Cane
(June-Mar)(Apr-Sep)
Sorghum
/RainfedTomato/
Bengal gram
(Oct-Jan)
Groundnut/Fodder
sorghum
(Apr-June)(Sep-Dec)
Erode Cane-Ratoon 2 years
Turmeric-Rice
(May-Nov)(Nov-May)
Rice-Rice- Rice /fallow
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)(Feb-May)
Rice- Cotton
(Aug-Jan)(Feb-May)
Sorghum/Groundnut/
Pulses
(June-Sep)
The Nilgris Veg-Veg-Veg
(June-Sep)(Oct-Dec)(Jan-
Mar)
- RainfedPotato/Tea/
Fruit trees
Kanyakumari Tapioca+Banana
(June-May)
Rice-Rice
(June-Sep)(Sep-Mar)
Turmeric -1 year rotation
Groundnut+ Pulses
(June-Sep)(Oct-Jan)