International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
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