Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Sustainability Improvement of Traditional Cropping System in Uttarakhand, India, through Intercropping with Medicinal nd Aromatic Plants


Affiliations
1 Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Mehalchori, Gairsain 246 431,, India
2 Syngenta India Ltd., Indore 452 010, India
 

Crop production in mountain agriculture is in steady decline (5%–30%) over the past few decades. Only few species of cereals, pulses, potato, amaranth, etc. are important cash crops in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, India. In traditional hill cropping systems, framers grow sesame, black soybean, corn, proso millet, amaranth, Brassica spp, etc. as mixed crop. These types of traditional cropping systems are not much advantageous and do not meet the requirements of the existing population. In the hilly regions Perilla, Hedychium, turmeric, industrial hemp, lemon grass, citronella, lavender, belladonna and other medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have immense potential. However, they are still not a part of the cropping system. Introduction of these MAPs as intercrops with traditional crops will not only improve the production potential of main crops, but also generate additional income to the farming family. Besides immense cash value, these plants also have less/no threats from wild animals. Similarly, introduction of medicinal and aromatic crops with horticultural crops is one of the key options to enhance agriculture production, as topography and climate of Uttarakhand is suitable for growth of these crops.

Keywords

Intercropping, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Sustainability, Traditional Cropping System.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Census of India, 2001; www.censusindia.gov.in

  • Nautiyal, R. R. and Datta, R., Development Dynamics of a Himalayan State, 2018, p. 97.

  • Singh, J., Sustainable development in Indian Himalayan region: linking ecological and economic concerns. Curr. Sci., 2006, 90, 784–788.

  • Pratap, T. and Watson, H., Slopping agriculture land technology (SALT). A regenerative option for sustainable mountain farming. ICIMOD Occasional, Paper No. 23, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal, 1994.

  • Nandy, S. N. and Rao, K. S., Land use pattern and population pressure in Uttaranchal. ENVIS Bull. Himalayan Ecol. Dev., 2001, 9, 17–23.

  • Negi, K. S. and Pant, K. C., Genetic wealth of agro-horticultural crops, their wild relatives, indigenous medicinal and aromatic plants of UP Himalayas. J. Econ. Taxon. Bot., 1993, 8(1), 17–41.

  • Tuteja, U., Agriculture profile of Uttarakhand Agricultural Economics Research Centre, University of Delhi, 2015.

  • Prakasa Rao, E. V. S., Medicinal and aromatic plants for crop diversification and their agronomic implications. Indian J. Agron., 2009, 54, 215–220.

  • Thavaprakash, N., Velayudham, K. and Muthukumar, V. B., Effect of crop geometry, intercropping systems and integrated nutrient management practices on productivity of baby corn (Zea mays L.) based intercropping systems. Res. J. Agric. Biol. Sci., 2005, 1, 295–302.

  • Kumar, S. and Patra, D. D., Integration of mediculture with agriculture for sustainable higher productivity, profits and employment. J. Med. Aromat. Plant Sci., 2000, 22, 751–754.

  • Rajeswara and Rao, B. R., Biomass yield, essential oil yield and essential oil composition of rose scented geranium (Pelargonium sp.) as influenced by row spacing and intercropping with corn mint. Ind. Crops Prod., 2002, 16, 133–144.

  • Vyas, S. and Nein, S., Effect of shade on the growth of Cassia ungustifolia. Indian For., 1999, 125, 407–410.

  • Mishra, R. K. and Pandey, V. K., Intercropping of turmeric under different tree species and their planting pattern in agroforestry systems. Range Manage. Agrofor., 1998, 19, 199–202.

  • Prajapati, N. D., Purohit, S. S., Sharma, A. K. and Kumar, T., A Handbook of Medicinal Plants. Agribios, India, 2003, p. 553.

  • Ansari, M. H., Verma, B. K., Ansari, M. A., Mishra, D., Srivastava, A. K., Khan, N. and Mohd. Saquib, Impact of cropping pattern on growth, yield attributes and system productivity of citronella (Citronella winterianus) pulses intercropping system in Central India. Indian J. Agric. Sci., 2015, 85, 392–396.

  • Verma, R. K., Yadav, A., Verma, R. S., Laiq-Ur Rahman and Khan, K., Intercropping of aromatic crop Pelargonium graveolens with Solanum tuberosum for better productivity and soil health. J. Environ. Biol., 2014, 35, 1165–1171.

  • Tajuddin, Saproo, M. L., Yaseen, M. and Hussain, A., Productivity of rose (Rosa damascene Mill) with intercrops under temperate conditions. J. Essent. Oil Res., 1993, 5, 191–198.

  • Verma, R. K. et al., Biomass yield, essential oil yield and resource use efficiency in geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Her. ex. Ait), intercropped with fodder crops. Arch. Agron. Soil Sci., 2013, 55, 557–567.

  • Verma, R. K., Verma, R. S., Chauhan, A., Singh, A., Rahman, L. and Kalra, A., Biomass yield, essential oil yield and quality of rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium graveolens L. Herit) intercrop with vegetables. Int. J. Agric. Res., 2011, 6, 830–839.

  • Singh, M., Influence of spacing and intercropping on biomass and essential oil yield of patchouli (Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.). J. Spices Aromat. Crops, 2008, 17(3), 235–239.

  • Ved Prakash, Chandra, S. and Shrivastava, A. K., Relay cropping of wheat in finger millet + pigeon pea intercropping system under rainfed condition in mid-hill of North-West Himalaya. Indian J. Agric. Sci., 2005, 75, 676–678.

  • Hazarika, U., Dutta, R. K. and Chakravorty, R., Morphology and yield attributing features of ginger and turmeric under natural shade of som (Persea bombycina Kost) plants. Adv. Plant Sci., 2009, 22(1), 115–117.

  • Awasthi, O. P. and Saroj, P. L., Economic analysis of mango multistrata intercropping. Trop. Sci., 2004, 44, 43–47.

  • Haque, M. E., Roy, A. K. and Sikdar, B., Performance of ginger, turmeric and mukhi kachu under shade of mango orchard. Hortic. J., 2004, 17(2), 101–107.


Abstract Views: 331

PDF Views: 78




  • Sustainability Improvement of Traditional Cropping System in Uttarakhand, India, through Intercropping with Medicinal nd Aromatic Plants

Abstract Views: 331  |  PDF Views: 78

Authors

Madhulika Pandey
Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Mehalchori, Gairsain 246 431,, India
B. P. Nautiyal
Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Mehalchori, Gairsain 246 431,, India
Nirdesh Kumar
Syngenta India Ltd., Indore 452 010, India

Abstract


Crop production in mountain agriculture is in steady decline (5%–30%) over the past few decades. Only few species of cereals, pulses, potato, amaranth, etc. are important cash crops in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand, India. In traditional hill cropping systems, framers grow sesame, black soybean, corn, proso millet, amaranth, Brassica spp, etc. as mixed crop. These types of traditional cropping systems are not much advantageous and do not meet the requirements of the existing population. In the hilly regions Perilla, Hedychium, turmeric, industrial hemp, lemon grass, citronella, lavender, belladonna and other medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have immense potential. However, they are still not a part of the cropping system. Introduction of these MAPs as intercrops with traditional crops will not only improve the production potential of main crops, but also generate additional income to the farming family. Besides immense cash value, these plants also have less/no threats from wild animals. Similarly, introduction of medicinal and aromatic crops with horticultural crops is one of the key options to enhance agriculture production, as topography and climate of Uttarakhand is suitable for growth of these crops.

Keywords


Intercropping, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Sustainability, Traditional Cropping System.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi8%2F1281-1285