Q14. What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilise the yield of the crop in the system?

Model Answer:

Introduction

Rice and wheat are staple crops, especially in regions like South Asia. However, their yields are declining due to multiple environmental, agronomic, and socio-economic factors. The monoculture of rice-wheat cropping systems, often practiced continuously, is now showing diminishing returns. To counteract this trend, crop diversification has been suggested as a sustainable solution to stabilize yields and improve long-term productivity.

Body

Major Reasons for Declining Rice and Wheat Yields

1. Soil Degradation
   Continuous rice-wheat rotation depletes essential soil nutrients, reducing soil fertility. Nutrient imbalance and insufficient organic matter further lead to soil degradation, reducing crop productivity.
2. Water Scarcity
   Excessive irrigation for rice cultivation leads to depletion of groundwater, particularly in regions like Punjab, India. This impacts wheat yield, which follows rice in the cropping sequence.
3. Pest and Disease Pressure
   Monoculture systems encourage the buildup of pests and diseases specific to rice and wheat. Over time, this can lead to reduced yields as pest populations adapt and become resistant to control measures.
4. Declining Input Efficiency
   High dependency on chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides has led to reduced efficiency. Soil's natural processes become disrupted, leading to lower crop yields despite high input costs.
5. Climate Change
   Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, and extreme weather events such as droughts or floods are negatively impacting crop growth cycles, further lowering yields.
6. Labour Shortage
   Urbanization and migration to cities have caused a decline in the agricultural labor force, making it difficult to manage intensive rice-wheat systems efficiently.

How Crop Diversification Helps Stabilize Yields

1. Nutrient Recycling
   Introducing legumes, pulses, or oilseeds in rotation with rice and wheat helps improve soil health by fixing nitrogen and adding organic matter, thus increasing nutrient availability and fertility.
2. Water Efficiency
   Diversification with less water-intensive crops reduces the pressure on groundwater resources, allowing for sustainable irrigation practices.
3. Pest and Disease Management
   A diversified cropping system breaks the lifecycle of pests and diseases that specifically target rice and wheat. Crop rotation with other species reduces the buildup of harmful organisms and decreases dependency on chemical controls.
4. Risk Mitigation
   Crop diversification spreads the risk across different crops, so if one fails due to adverse conditions, others may still thrive, ensuring a more stable income and food security.
5. Improved Input Efficiency
   Diversified systems optimize the use of inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Different crops have varying nutrient and pest control needs, thus preventing excessive buildup of chemical residues in the soil.
6. Climate Resilience
   Diversified crops have different tolerance levels to heat, drought, and water stress, offering better resilience to changing climate patterns, leading to more stable yields.

Conclusion

The decline in rice and wheat yields is a complex issue influenced by environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and changing climatic conditions. Crop diversification presents a sustainable solution by improving soil health, enhancing resource use efficiency, and reducing pest pressures. By stabilizing yields, it offers a more resilient and productive agricultural system that can withstand future challenges.

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