Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India

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a minimal area of rice (confined to Aligarh district). It is thus not an important ricegrowing area of the state (Fig. 3). Agroclimatic Region IV: Middle Gangetic Plain Region (Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) ACZ C1—Eastern Plain Zone (Uttar Pradesh): This zone lies between the Saryu and Ganges Rivers in the Central IGP. It encompasses the districts of Bara Banki, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ballia, Ghazipur and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh. It has an annual rainfall of 1000–1200 mm, of which 85–90% is received during the monsoon months of June-September/October and is also endowed with good soils. This zone constitutes a major traditional rice-growing area of the IGP (Fig. 3). The density of rice area is quite high and extent of rice cultivation well spread, except in the southwest where it is thin and in the southernmost district, Sonebhadra, where it is negligible. ACZ C2—North-Eastern Plain Zone: This zone lies north of the River Saryu and between the Rivers Gandak and Ghaghra. It comprises the districts of Gonda, Bahraich, Basti, Gorakhpur and Deoria of Uttar Pradesh. The area enjoys a subhumid, sub-tropical climate. The monsoon season lasts from June–September. The annual rainfall of 1000–1200 mm or more and low flood intensity accounts for rice cultivation on an extensive scale in this zone (Fig. 3). In fact, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, with copious rainfall and heavy to medium heavy textured soils, is considered as naturally the most-suited rice-growing area in the IGP. Therefore, the intensity of rice cultivation is very high in this region and rice is also the primary staple food of the people living here. The rice area extends from the borders of Uttar Pradesh with Bihar on the East to Allahabad in the 10 south-west and the River Ghaghra to the north-west. This zone, along with the Northern Plain Zone, has been the traditional rice-growing area of the IGP. ACZ C3—South Bihar Alluvial Plain Zone: This zone lies to the south of the Ganges River with the Sone River forming its major tributary on the southern flank. It is comparatively free from recurring floods except on the eastern flank where floods occur once in every 2–4 years. The soils of this zone are well drained and water availability is high. Rice cultivation is concentrated along the Sone and Ganges Rivers; with the intensity decreasing in flood-prone areas (Fig. 3). ACZ C4—North-West Alluvial Plain Zone: The North-West Alluvial Plain Zone, lies on the east of the River Gandak and north of the Ganges River, at an elevation of 50–100 m (asl). It has an annual rainfall of about 1200 mm but it is most frequently flooded. Deep water paddy in the flood-prone areas and upland rainfed paddy at upper elevations, besides transplanted paddy are major rice-based cropping features of this zone. High frequency of floods (once every year or every 2 years) makes growing of most other crops a risky proposition and the predominance of paddy in this region is, therefore, inevitable. ACZ C5—North-East Alluvial Plain Zone: ACZ C5—North-East Alluvial Plain Zone: This zone constitutes, along with the North- West Alluvial Plain Zone, the second most severely affected flood-prone area of the state after the North-West Alluvial Plain Zone ACZ C4. This is inundated almost regularly every year by high floods of the Kosi and Ganges Rivers and their Himalayan tributaries. Accordingly, even though agroclimatically suitable for rice production, the intensity of rice area here is comparatively low but it is still higher than that of the low lying eastern plains of South Bihar Alluvial Plain Zone ACZ C3 (Fig. 3).
Agroclimatic Region III: Lower Gangetic Plain Region (West Bengal) ACZ D1—Old and New Alluvial Zone: The Old and New Alluvial Zone lying on the east of the Ganges River constitutes the traditional rice-growing zone of the state. This zone experiences a sub-humid to humid and sub-tropical climate. It receives 1200–1600 mm annual rainfall. Rice is grown primarily as a rainy season crop under long-duration flooded conditions (Fig. 3). The soils are ideally suited for rice cultivation and rice constitutes the main staple food of the people. This zone is another primary traditional rice-growing area of the IGP together with Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh of ACR IV. ACZ D2—Laterite and Red Soil Zone: This zone constitutes the major rice growing component of West Bengal and lies on the western side of the Ganges River. It accounts for the maximum area of rice in the state (Fig. 3). Intensity of rice cultivation in this ACZ is the highest of all the zones of the IGP of India. The intensity is almost comparable to that of Central Plain Zone of Punjab (the nontraditional irrigated rice area of India, having come into prominence after the introduction of HYVs in early 1970s and not accustomed to growing rice on a large scale prior to 1970s). ACZ D3—Coastal D3 Coastal Saline Soil Zone: Being coastal saline zone, it has hardly any sizeable cultivated area. In fact, it constitutes the marshy saline bog lands of West Bengal where hardly any farming is possible. Adjoining IGP Areas of India Western Himalayas and Himachal Pradesh ACZ E1—Sub-Montane and Low-Hills of Sub-Tropical Zone and Mid-Hills of Sub- Humid Zone: This zone comprises the districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Una and Mandi in Himchal Pradesh, where rice is cultivated extensively during kharif on the flat plateau and valley lands and on terraces on gently sloping hills (Fig. 3). By far, the largest rice area is in Kangra (40,000 ha) followed by the Mandi district (23,000 ha), while the other two districts have just about 5,000 ha. Annual rainfall in this region is high (more than 1200 mm). Irrigation by diversion of hill streams (locally called Kuls) is a common feature and rice is cultivated under relatively abundant water supply conditions. ACZ E2—High E2 High Hills of Temperate Wet Zone: There is no appreciable area observed under rice in this district of Kinnaur valley. ACZ E3—Kumaon and Garhwal Hills Zone: Sizeable mountain/valley land, rice area (‘000 ha) is observed in districts of Pithoragarh (48) Almora (38), Garhwal (26), Chamoli (18), Uttarkanshi (11), Dehra Dun (18) and Tehri Garhwal (17) (Fig. 3). The agroclimatic condition available is suitable for rice cultivation in the rainy season, viz., due to high rainfall and comparatively warm climate with sufficient bright sunshine-hour duration. ACZ F1—Eastern Plateau Zone (Santhal Pargana) and South Eastern Plateau Zone (Singhbhum): Districts of Santhal Pargana and Singhbhum of Bihar show sizeable area under rice (Fig. 3). District Singhbum East lying at the foot of West Bengal has almost 300,000 ha of rice. The rice area of Santhal Parganas, which comprises the districts Deoghar, Godda, Sahibganj, and Dumka, together account for nearly 333,000 ha. This area lies outside of the IGP, but is sizeable. Likewise, cultivation of rice has also spread to Sri Ganganagar area of Rajasthan which forms the north-western fringe of the Trans-Gangetic Plain Zone of the IGP. 11
Page 1 and 2: Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems of the
Page 3: Of late, concerns have been express
Page 6 and 7: 6 Table 1. Modified agroclimatic zo
Page 8 and 9: preparatory tillage, puddling and t
Page 12: However, unambiguous rice area data
Page 22 and 23: incompletely filled grains. Seed da
Page 24 and 25: The fourth band of high rice produc
Page 26 and 27: large-scale migration of able-bodie
Page 28 and 29: The compound rate of growth (Table
Page 30 and 31: ineffective extension/inputs servic
Page 32 and 33: encouraging and the ‘Wheat Green
Page 34: esides contributing to intense air
Page 37: Acknowledgements The authors would

Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India

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