pulses are an integral part of subsistence cropping system in large part of the country. The pulses are grown in almost all types of cropping systems as a sole crop, intercrop, catch crop, relay crop, cover crop, and green manure crop, etc., under sequential/mono‐cropping in different agroecological regions. Under dryland areas pulses are predominant due to their low water requirements. The development of short duration varieties of mungbean, urdbean, and pigeonpea has paved way for crop diversification and intensification in many parts of IGP zones (Table 2.4).
2.7.3 Diversification with Horticultural Crops
The fruits, vegetables, spices, condiments, and flowering ornamental plants are very useful for developing high productive and profitable diversification plan in many areas. Depending upon the resource availability, prevailing market conditions and available technological support, different crops components may be selected. Under semiarid conditions a similar diversified fruit tree‐based diversified system was developed. The IFS refers to combining one or more agriculture and allied activities with field crop cultivation. This will certainly help in making rainfed areas a stable, sustainable agroecosystem (Rathore et al. 2019). Many studies have identified the important role of perennial vegetation in supporting biodiversity in general and beneficial organisms in particular (Perfecto and Vandermeer 2008).
Table 2.4 Possible new niches for pulses.
Source: Based on Singh et al. 2009.
| Cropping systems | Possible niches | Suitable varieties |
|---|---|---|
| Tur‐wheat system | North‐West U.P., Haryana, Punjab, and North Rajasthan | Virat, Pusa Vishal, UPAS 120, Manak, Pusa33, AL 15, AL201 |
| Maize‐rabi pigeonpea | Central and Eastern U.P., North Bihar, West Bengal, Assam | Pusa 9, Sharad |
| Maize‐potato/mustard + mungbean/urdbean | Punjab, Haryana, and West U.P. | Mungbean: Pant Mung 2, PDM11,HUM 2, SML668, Pusa Vishal Urdbean: PDU 1, NarendraUrd 1, Uttara |
| Spring sugarcane + mungbean/urdbean | East U.P., Bihar, West Bengal | Mungbean: Pant Mung 2, PDM 11, Narendra Mung 1 Urdbean: PDU 1, Pant Urd 19 |
| Rice‐mungbean | Orissa, Part of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, A.P. | TARM 1, Pusa 9072 |
| Rice‐urdbean | Coastal area of A.P., Karnataka, Tamil Nadu | LBG 17, LBG 402 |
| Rice wheat mungbean | Western U.P., Haryana, Punjab | Pant Mung 2, Narendra Mung 1, PDM 139, HUM 2 |
The agri‐horti system has been developed for round the year cultivation of the crops and generation of produce for regular income and employment. During kharif season, intercropping of legume crops were taken in the rows in between the fruit crops. In fruits crops falsa (Grewia asiatica), karonda (Carissa carandas), drum stick (Moringa oleifera), aonla (Phyllanthus emblica), guava (Psidium guajava), and pomegranate were grown and in field crops during kharif season vegetable cowpea, mung bean was cultivated as intercrops and in this intercrop space, vegetable pea, Bengal gram, and cole crops will be taken during the rabi season. The whole system is designed to be irrigated by drip irrigated system from the pond. The well designed micro irrigation system along with fertigation device and appropriate filters ensures the risk of crop failure due to moisture shortage. The rain water is harvested and stored in the pond for life saving irrigation through micro irrigation system. Thus, every drop of water is efficiently utilized for production of different crops. The data revealed that the different agri‐horti systems are economically viable, productive, and employment generator round the year (Figure 2.4). The inclusion of horticultural crops not only guarantee higher productivity and profitability but also ensure nutritional security of a family household (Table 2.5).
2.8 Constraints in Crop Diversification
The crop diversification approach has been identified as one of the potential agronomic intervention to address many of the present challenges in farming across the globe. Even out of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), 6–7 SDGs have been identified as having greater involvement of CD to achieve them within set time framework.
Figure 2.4 Diversified agri‐horti system for higher system yield and income.
Table 2.5 Nutritional importance of vegetable crops.
Source: Jogendra et al. 2019.
| S.No. | Dietary factors | Source vegetables |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | High energy | Immature seeds of broad bean and peas, lima bean, tapioca, yam, colocasiacorms, potato, brussels sprouts, onion and garlic, sweet potato |
| 2 | Proteins | Leguminous vegetable crops such as vegetable peas, beans, garlic, brussels sprouts, cowpea, lima bean seeds, amaranthus leaves, drumstick leaves, and menthe |
| 3 | Vitamin A (beta carotene) | Carrot, spinach, turnip green, palak, sarson sag, amaranth, coriander, sweet potato, pumpkin, tomato |
| 4 | Vitamin B complex | Peas, broad bean, lima bean, garlic, asparagus, colocasia and tomato |
| 5 | Vitamin C | Turnip green, green chilies, brussels sprouts, mustard green, amaranth, coriander, drumstick leaves, cauliflower, KnollKhol Spinach, cabbage, bitter gourd and reddish leaves |
| 6 | Calcium | Amaranth, parsley, palak, Chinese cabbage, kale, collard greens, broccoli, spinach |
| 7 | Iron | Amaranth, beans, peas, spinach, radish leaves, turnip greens |
| 8 | Potassium | Cowpea, peas, sword bean, colocasia, melons, potato, sweet potato, spinach, turnip green, collard greens, peas, beans |
In spite of all advantages being offered due to crop diversification, its adoption is poor due to following constraints:
Over
