A Geographical Study Of Food Grain Cropping Pattern

UNIVERSAL RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Half yearly
Research Journal
RNI. MAHMUL 13/2/2010 ISSN 2229-4406
Vol. I , Issue :I I I, Sept. 2011 to Feb. 2012
and soil. It grows better in winter temperature between 15ºc and 20ºc ; rainless days
with clear and bright sunshine during ripening and harvesting period are necessary to
have a better quality of grains. It can be grown in the areas where rainfall is less than 500
cm , with the help of irrigation. Frost at flowering time and hailstorms when the grain is
almost ripe damage the crop . Wheat is produced in the loams ,clay soils and medium
black soils in the study region.
Spatial Distribution :-
The regional pattern of wheat distribution in table No 4.9 shows that the
expansion of this crop in areas where irrigation is more developed as in 2004/05. The highest
percentage of area under wheat is at Pandharpur (21.12 %) and Malshiras (20.88 %) .
Temporal Analysis: -
It may be observed from Fig No 4.10 that the area under wheat cultivation was
3.97 percent in 1990-91, which increased to 7.01 percent of the net sown area in 2004-
05. However, it did not increase in all tahsils of the district. It increased highly (above 10
%) in Pandharpur and Malshiras tahsils and also increased to small extent (0.5 % to 3
%) in North Solapur, South Solapur, Madha , Sangola and Akkalkot tahsil. The area
under this crop highly decreased (below 4 %) in Karmala Mangalwedha, Mohol and
Barshi.
3) Bajara
Bajara is the third food grain crop in the study region. It plays a very dominant
role in the economy of the study region. It is a staple food of a very large part of the
population in the district. It also provides good quality fodder for the livestock.
Environmental Requirements:-
Bajara is a typical tropical plant and usually thrives in warm and drier types of
climate. The suitable temperature for bajara crop is 25ºc to 35ºc. The most important of
all environmental factors is the fact that there should be a minimum rainfall from 150 to
200 mm . Bajara thrives in poor to medium soil as well as in black cotton soils. Bajara is
a kharif crop and is sown in June-July.
Spatial Distribution :-
Bajara crop is raised all over the study area to a small extent (4.78 %), but it is
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