RICE WHEAT CROPPING SYSTEMS-CONSTRAINTS AND STRATEGIES : A REVIEW

The rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) of South Asia with the help of Green<br> Revolution in the early 1970’s greatly contributed to India's food self-sufficiency and livelihood of millions of<br> peoplethus, became the country's primary source of food-grain production. However, deterioration of soil health and<br> quality, ground water depletion, water stress, labour shortage, introduction of new weeds and pests particularly<br> Phalaris minor, Scirpophaga incertulas and climate change have all contributed to a major production standstill and<br> deterioration in recent years by which the sustainability of rice wheat cropping system is now at jeopardy. Traditional<br> agronomic practices had various negative implications on the sustainability of rice wheat cropping system with the<br> introduction of HYVs. So, a paradigm shift is required to achieve long-term productivity, sustainability and allow<br> farmers to minimise inputs, optimise yields, enhance profitability, maintain the natural resource base and reduce risk<br> owing to both environmental and economic issues through resource-conserving technologies (RCTs) including<br> zero/minimaltillage, PUSA decomposer, bed planting, crop residue management, mechanical rice transplanter (MRT)<br> and crop diversification. This article focuses some of the issues that need to be addressed in the RWCS in order to<br> achieve the goal of increasing regional productivity and assuring food security while maximising the effective use of<br> natural resources, enhancing rural livelihoods and aiding in poverty alleviation.