Over 11.68 Mha estimated rice-fallows are visualized as potential areas to sustain food security for ever growing human population in India. These areas remain idle post-rice cultivation largely due to moisturerelated constraint. However, these potential areas provide ample opportunity to increase production of short-lived and low waterconsuming cool season pulse legumes, oilseeds and horticultural crops which can grow on residual soil moisture. The first chapter of the book describes details of the strategies and policy dimension that can be applied for enhancing pulses production from rice-fallow areas. Intensification of oilseed Brassicas, which meet out over 36% of the total edible oil of the country, has been covered in the next chapter. That how can the application of conservation agriculture bring about sustainable intensification of rice-fallows has been considered along with research-based findings in chapter 3. Similarly, in the next chapter, authors have elaborated their findings and success stories to sustainably intensify rice-fallows with vegetables, spices and aromatic crops. The next two chapters are devoted to water and nutrient management for intensification ofrice-fallow production systems. As biotic stresses including weeds vary with ecosystems, we have included four chapters (Chapter 7- 10) that deal exclusively with biotic stress management of rice and potential post-rice crops for rice-fallow production system. Thus, far, little emphasis has been given on breeding varieties that suitably fit in double or multiple cropping sequences for intensification of rainfed low land ecosystems. The last chapter deals with systems-based breeding forintensifying rice-fallow production system. We believe that the book “Rice Fallow Management in India” may be a pedagogical step for rice-fallow intensification in India, and hope and trust it will be equally useful to students, scientists and policy planners.
Arbind K. Choudhary Principal Scientist & Head (Acting) Division of Crop Research ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region Patna-800 014, Bihar
Rakesh Kumar Senior Scientist (Agronomy) Division of Crop Research ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region Patna-800 014, Bihar
Saurabh Kumar Scientist (Microbiology) Division of Crop Research ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region Patna-800 014, Bihar
1. Enhancing Pulses Production from Rice-Fallow Areas: Strategies and Policies ............................ 1
2. Oilseeds for Intensification of Rice-Fallow System: A Perspective...................................... 15
3. Conservation Agriculture and Its Role in Rice-Fallow Production System of Eastern India ............................................ 27
4. Intensifying Rice-Fallow with Legumes, Oilseeds, Vegetables, Spices and Aromatic Crops ..................................... 35
5. Water Management in Rice-Fallow Production Systems ......... 71
6. Nutrient Management for Rice-Fallow Intensification: Perspectives and Policy Dimensions ................ 93
7. Weed Management for Intensification of Rice-Fallows.................................................107
8. Insect-Pest Management for Intensifying Rice-Fallows in Eastern India...............................121
9. Disease Management of Post-Rice Potential Pulse Crops ..................................139
10. Integrated Disease Management in Post-Rice Potential Oilseed Crops .......................153
11. Breeding Cultivars for Intensifying Rice-Fallow Cropping System ..................................183
