Jharkhand

The cultivated area of the state is about 1.8 million ha, comprising 22% of the geographical area. The net irrigated area is about 0.16 million ha, constituting 9.3% of the cultivated area. Being largely rainfed, the state has a cropping intensity of 126%. For higher agriculture production, major constraints of the state are sloping lands with hard rock areas, severe soil erosion, water scarcity, acidic soils, low soil fertility, low input use of agricultural inputs and open grazing in rabi season. The major crops of the state are maize, rice, wheat and chickpea. Suggested interventions for natural resource management for agriculture in the state are as follows:

� Water harvesting in ponds and dug out open wells in hard rock areas

� Amelioration of about 5 million ha degraded acidic soils with application of lime and adequate fertilizer use to provide additional 5 million tonnes of foodgrains (especially pulses and oilseeds)

� Introduction of rapeseed/mustard and chickpea along with limited irrigation on rice fallows to raise production of oilseeds by 0.4 million tonnes or chickpea by 0.5 million tonnes

� Drip/fertigation systems to be promoted for horticultural/plantation crops

Rice

The state has 1.4 million ha under rice cultivation, which is mainly rainfed shallow and upland area. The area has slightly decreased from 1.48 to 1.36 million ha during last seven years. The state average productivity is about 1.2 tonnes/ha. The major constraints in production are: drought in uplands, low soil fertility, low coverage of high-yielding varieties and severe incidence of weed and blast. The major interventions are:

� Drought tolerant short duration varities like Vandana, Anajli, Sada Bahar, Birsa Dhan 109, Birsa Dhan

  110 may be popularized in uplands

� Growing of suitable hybrids KRH 2, PHB 71 and 6444 (lowlands)

� Adoption of integrated weed management practices

Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea occupies about 85,000 ha area with 54,000 tonnes production. The average productivity fluctuated between 544 and 1,511 kg/ha. The area has shown positive growth rate. Long duration varieties of pigeonpea are grown as rainfed crop on sloppy land and intercropped with millets and short duration legumes. The major constraints to production are: mid-season and terminal drought; infestation with Phytophthora stem blight, Fusarium wilt and pod borer complex; and inadequate availability of quality seeds of improved varieties. Suitable interventions are: