Imtisenla Walling and Ph Romen Sharma
ICAR-ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema
Pulses are the major sources of dietary protein in the vegetarian diet of our country. They are the rich source of high quality protein and nourishes the millions of poor Indian masses those cannot afford the meat consumption to fulfill their daily protein requirement. Pulses in India are grown annually on 22-24 million hectare area with an annual production of about 13-14 million tons. Besides being a rich source of protein, they maintain soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation in soil and thus play a vital role in furthering sustainable agriculture. It improves the physical and chemical conditions of soil. Due to their deep and profuse root system, most of the pulse crops open up soil and add considerable amount of organic matter. Out of the total global biological nitrogen fixation of 175m tones/ year, leguminous plants alone share nearly 70 MT, which shows its importance. Inspite of its immense importance in agriculture system, production of pulses is in a very low key in Nagaland, though 73% of the people in the state are engaged in agriculture which is the largest employer of the workforce in the state. Despite the best efforts of successive government, the total pulse production has remained stagnant. As far as Nagaland is concerned, the commonly grown pulses are Arhar, Ricebean, cowpea, Rajmash, Pea, lentil etc.
Present Scenario
Latest estimates for 2011-12 indicate that the production of pulses in the state was 37170 metric tonnes from an area of 34940 ha, an increase of 710 metric tonnes over the last years’ production of 36460 metric tonnes.
Arhar (Cajanus cajan), an important source of vegetable protein, used either as dal or as green vegetable has the largest area among the pulses in the state and it is cultivated only in few pockets. The area under arhar is around 2520 ha in the year 2011-12, with a production of 2150 Metric tones, which accounts for a productivity of 853 kg/ha (Statistical hand book, 2012).The production of Mung and horse gram is the lowest among the pulses with production of 210 and 330 metric tonnes from an area of 220 and 330 ha. Lentil production (2011–12) was 1520 from an area of 1990ha.
Rice bean gave a production of 4550 metric tonnes from an area of 4530ha. The production of pea was only 6310metric tonnes from an area of 6940ha. The reason for low production is that farmers do not take up cultivation of pulses on a large scale. There is however, a great scope for increasing the yield per ha through extending the cultivation to new area, increase in irrigation facilities, use of HYV seeds, fertilizers and through soil and water conservation measures.
Rajma, commercially is not cultivated but farmers have started cultivating it in large scale. In some areas of Tuensang, Rajma is grown as a main crop. It gave a production of 6940 metric tones from an area of 5560 ha with a productivity of 1248 kg/ha (2011-12). Sathokur village under Tuensang district with a household of 300 has produced more than 200 MT of Kholar during 2002-03. In Kiphire district, Rajma covers an area of 2860 ha and has a production of about 3610MT in the year 2011-12. Cultivation of Rajma (Kholar) is expected to increase in the coming years for export purpose.
Trends of Pulses Production
Production of pulses which was around 20960 MT in 2000 has increased to 37170 metric tones in 2011-12. It means that there had been a slight improvement in yield. A study of the growth statistics in different periods shows that there has been some positive growth.
Existing Cropping Systems
The main occupation of the people is agriculture and the prevailing practice of agriculture is Jhum or shifting cultivation. The agriculture in the state is rainfed and by and large monocropping is practiced where the land holding is generally fragmented and scattered. Shifting and terrace cultivation remains the dominant form of land use in the state. Paddy is the dominant food crop in all the districts of the state and occupies 70% of the cultivated area and some of the vegetables and pulses are taken along with paddy without any row arrangement. The common cropping system prevailing in the state is rice-pulses, rice-rice-cowpea, maize-blackgram, rice-cabbage, rice-mustard etc. In Mokokchung district, after completion of second year Jhum paddy farmers grow ricebean or frenchbean in the 3rd year Jhum and leave the land fallow for next Jhum cycle. In case of Phek district, pulses like arhar, ricebean, pea, beans are integrated with different components like forestry, cereals, vegetable, livestock and fisheries. In some parts of the state, pea is grown in the paddy fallow after harvesting is over.
Improved Varieties of Pulse crops Mostly local varieties are use in all the districts.
Crop-wise Production Technologies
- Land preparation
- Field is ploughed with the help of a spade and soil is thoroughly pulverized with 2-3 ploughing before sowing of a pulse crop.
- Mostly seeds are sown in the flat bed.
- Seed rate
Green gram – 20-25kg/ha, black gram - 20-25kg/ha, Arhar – 12-15kg/ha, Field pea- 60-75kg/ha, Lentil – 30 kg/ha, Gram – 60 – 80 kg/ha, Rajma – 5 kg/ha, cowpea – 15-20kg/ha.
- Sowing Management
Arhar, Ricebean are sown during the month of May–June. Cowpea, beans, rice bean March–April, Pea, lentil, gram, Oct–Nov, black gram Sept-Oct whereas Rajma is grown twice a year Feb-April and Aug-Sept.
Sowing of paddy in the Jhum field is followed by sowing of arhar seeds during the month of April/June. Since the growth of Arhar plants are slow and are not bushy it does not effect the normal growth of paddy. However, if there is any shading on the main crop, side branches may be pruned. After harvesting of the paddy, arhar plants are left without disturbing. The plants starts flowering by Oct-Nov which are harvested by Feb-March. In some parts of the state, the farmers use jaggery as a seed treatment. The seeds are coated with the jaggery and kept it overnight. The seeds are sown the next day. Jaggery is used so as to prevent seed drift and enhance its rooting.
Mostly broadcasting is preferred by the farmers’ then line sowing. Spacing is done randomly.
- Fertilizer application including micronutrients
Almost all the pulses are grown without any application of chemical fertilizers. The crops are mostly manured with FYM, forest debris etc.
- Weed control and interculture
In case of high plant density, thinning is done at 20-25 days after sowing. During moisture stress condition, mulching is done using dry weeds and dry leaves etc which helps in moisture conservation as well as weed management. Hand weeding and hoeing is done as and when necessary.
- Water management
The crops are purely rainfed and there is not much alternative source of irrigation except through channels, ponds etc.
- Plant Protection Measures
Pest and diseases are managed through mechanical and cultural practices. Deep ploughing is done which helps in destruction of tubers/ rhizomes, germinated weed seeds and their propagules, exposes the eggs, larvae and pupae of insect pest to sunlight. Disease management is done by planting healthy tuber and by avoiding stagnant water. No chemical pesticides are used, only hand picking and killing of the insects are practiced.
Pulses Based Sequential Cropping. Agriculture system in Nagaland is mainly rainfed, the farmers after the harvest of kharif crops, the land are kept fallow except in some few district cabbage, linseed, maize or mustard are grown in small patches.
Intercropping Systems Mixed cropping of pulses with Jhum paddy is commonly practiced. Some farmers practice mixed cropping of banana, ginger with legumes. Rajma and Maize, Maize and Ricebean, Maize and Cowpea, Maize and French bean, Rice bean and Soya bean.
Cultivation of pulses in Non conventional Seasons/ Areas
Farmers in this region normally do not cultivate pulses during off season due to lack of irrigation facilities.
Future Thrusts
- The increasing uncertainty of weather conditions is causing great negative impact on crop products. Therefore, contingency crop planning should be done for the pulses.
- To make quality seeds of pulses available to the farmers.
- Better disease, insect and nutrient management.
- To bring additional area under pulses
- Make the farmers aware about the new HYV and improved production technique.
- Farmers should be encouraged to promote the use of INM as it is observed that Rhizobium can increase the productivity by about 10-12%.
- Mechanization of pulse production technique, especially to reduce losses during harvesting and post harvest handling.
- Water harvesting techniques should be strengthened which may be effectively utilized as life saving irrigation during rabi season.
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