Legumes in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India

Abstract

Cropping in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India covering 44 million ha is predominantly cereal based. Rice-wheat and rice-based cropping systems are the most important systems, with rice-wheat rotations covering about 10 million ha. Legumes account for about 5 million ha, which amounts to about 14% of the total area in the country. This region has large spatial variation in rainfall pattern (268 mm in the extreme north to 1600 mm in the extreme east), and is largely dominated by Inceptisol soils. There is large variation in other agroclimatic characteristics such as temperature regime, length of growing season, and evapotranspiration. Despite this large variation chickpea, lentil, and pigeonpea are cultivated as major legumes across the region. Their production in this diverse part of the country is severely constrained by a number of diseases, insect pests, and abiotic stresses. Socioeconomic constraints are also important in discouraging their production. The Government of India increased research outlay to develop improved technologies for increasing legumes production in the country. The results of Government investment were promising, and a number of improved cultivars and technology options were developed to alleviate biotic and abiotic constraints. The Government also initiated several policy measures to alleviate socioeconomic constraints for increasing legumes production. The available trends show that in some parts, legumes area is gradually increasing. The region shows huge potential for legumes production (either as a catch crop, summer crop, or sole crop in different cropping systems), provided appropriate cultivars/ technologies reach farmers' fields