J. Int. Environmental Application & Science, Vol. 10(x): xxx-xxx (2015)
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Crop Combination -A Case Study of Karimnagar District, Telangana
V. Madhu1,, G. Machender2, A.V.Shashikala1
1Department of Geography, Hyderabad, India; 2Department of Geology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India
Received January 20, 2015;
Abstract: The present study is an attempt to identify the crop combination regions in Karimnagar district in Telangana state for its better landuse planning. The Karimnagar district lies between 170 50" and 190 05" Northern latitudes and 78'29" and 80'22" Eastern longitudes (Fig.1. location map). It covers an area of 11,823 sq.km and administratively the district is divided into 57 mandals. Karimnagar district is bounded by Warangal and Medak districts in the South, Nizamabad district in the West, Chhattisgarh state in the north-east and Adilabad district in the North directions. Karimnagar, the administrative headquarters of the Karimnagar District, is situated 160 km north east of Hyderabad in Telangana. Karimnagar has a population of 38,11,738 as per 2011 census. The district has a population density of 322 inhabitants per square kilometer. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 9.16%. Karimnagar has a sex ratio of 1009 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 64.87%. Karimnagar is a prominent agricultural center in the state. Vast agricultural areas of Karimnagar district are watered by the Godavari River. The data regarding major ten crops were obtained for year 2002 and 2012 at mandal level from secondary sources. The data collected were then converted into percentage. Weaver's crop combination technique was applied to compute crop combination regions.
Keywords: Agriculture, Ranking crops, rice, maize, groundnut, sugarcane, cotton.
Introduction
Agriculture is a field linked with the interdisciplinary activities influenced by the function of land and its amenity resources, human and animal power with their efficiency, agricultural inputs and infrastructure facilities. This in combination with socio-economic factors involves in the planning, producing and marketing of the out puts from agriculture. With the cropping activities going on the year round, all the decision of the cropping pattern, combinations and farming system are based on the past experience and traditional practices. India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry, logging and fishing accounted for 17% of the GDP and employed 51% of the total workforce in 2012. As Indian economy has diversified and grown, agriculture's contribution to GDP has steadily declined from 1951 to 2011, yet it is still the largest employment source and a significant piece of the overall socio-economic development of India. Crop yield per unit area of all crops have grown since 1950, due to the special emphasis placed on agriculture in the five-year plans and steady improvements in irrigation, technology, application of modern agricultural practices and provision of agricultural credit and subsidies since the Green Revolution in India. However, international comparisons reveal the average yield in India is generally 30% to 50% of the highest average yield in the world.
Among the major crops grown, Telangana accounts for about half of the acreage under Rice, 1/3rd under Cotton and Maize is another important crop. Even then, the process of agricultural growth has not been properly channelized due to imbalance allocation of resources, basic infrastructure and uneven rainfall. In 1967, Siddiqi and Ahmad have studied the crop landuse in Luni Basin wherein they identified crop combinations and scheme of regional classification. Begchi and Jean (1974) studied about the crop combination and spatial pattern of land utilization in lower Silabaty basin.
The study of Ogale S. B. et al. is an attempt to identify the crop combination and diversification region in Malegaon sugar factory command area of Baramati tahsil in Pune district for its better landuse planning. The main finding was that sugarcane and jowar was noticed as monoculture crops.
Nand (1972) studied about Crop combinations in Rajasthan and his main finding was the inadequacy of the irrigation was the main hindrance to the intensification of agriculture. Bhatia (1965) studied the "Pattern of Crop-combination and Diversification". Bhatia pointed out that Crops are diversified in the field due to erratic nature of rainfall and insufficient irrigation. The greater number of crops led to greater competition, the higher is the magnitude of diversification. Reddy (1984) had studied the crop patterns of Telangana region on a regional basis with a view to suggest a meaningful, relevant and practicable cropping pattern for this region. For this purpose, he took into account the physical setting, agricultural land utilization, irrigation development, cropping pattern relating to the region of Telangana. His study also indicated that the farmers neglected commercial crops and clung to only cereal crops.
Ramasundaram (2012) in his book "A study on crop combination regions in Tamil Nadu, India using MapInfo and GIS" noticed that in Tamilnadu, 4-5 crop combination regions are mainly there. Sharma (1971) stated in his book "Cropping Pattern and Crop-Combination Regions in Etweal" that different cropping pattern was due to variation in prices in Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab." The present study has modest attempt a study of crop combination in at mandal level of Karimnagar district in Telangana district for its better land use planning.
Sing (1975) has made a very comprehensive display of many aspects of Indian agriculture. He has analyzed the changing agricultural land use with special references to the changes that have taken place since 1951. He has analyzed the factors of farming underlying the changes of land use of the newly colonized areas, the stability in the old irrigated ones and the crisis in the rain fed regions on the, basis of verifiable data.
Study Area
The Karimnagar district lies between 170 50" and 190 05" Northern latitudes and 78'29" and 80'22" Eastern longitudes (Figure 1). It covers an area of 11,823 sq.km and administratively the district is divided into 57 mandals (Figure 2). Karimnagar district is bounded by Warangal and Medak districts in the South, Nizamabad district in the West, Chhattisgarh state in the north-east and Adilabad district in the North directions. Karimnagar, the administrative headquarters of the Karimnagar District, is situated 160 km north east of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Karimnagar has a population of 38,11,738 as per 2011 census. The district has a population density of 322 inhabitants per square kilometre. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 9.16%. Karimnagar has a sex ratio of 1009 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 64.87%. Karimnagar is a prominent agricultural centre in the state. Vast agricultural areas of Karimnagar district are watered by the Godavari River.
The Karimnagar district is situated in the table land of Deccan and hence hills of any considerable range are quite rare in this district. Few isolated peaks and rocky clusters are seen commonly which are characteristic of the Deccan except river Godavari, no other big rivers flow through this district. The river forms the northern and eastern boundary of the district separating it from Adilabad district. There are other medium rivers like Maneru and Pedavagu.
The climatic condition of district is moderate but in Ramagundam is one of hottest places in the state and experiences extreme maximum and extreme minimum temperatures. In March and April it will have the severe summer heat and monsoon sets in from June towards. The weather is cold and dry from November to February. The average rainfall of the district is 914.3 millimetres. The highest temperature is 43.3 Celsius degrees. Day and night temperatures decrease speedily during the months of November and December. December is the coldest month with the mean maximum and minimum temperatures of 28.1 degrees and 13.3 respectively. Sometimes, during winter, the night temperatures will fall to very low levels i.e. 10 degree Celsius.
Rain fall
The normal rainfall during the south-west monsoon between June and May is 966 m. m. The normal rainfall during North-East monsoon is 113.5mm. July is the rainiest month of the year in the district. The variation in the annual rainfall in the district from year to year is not so large. The district receives comparatively less rainfall during winter and hot weather seasons.
Figure 1 . Location of the study area
Figure 1 . Location of the study area
Figure 2. Administrative Divisions of Karimnagar District
Objectives
To compare the crop ranking and crop combination regions.
To understand the cropping pattern of district.
To compare the spatial and temporal changes in the cropping pattern.
Database and Methodology:
The study is based completely on secondary data collected from various departments. Secondary data is taken from Land Record Department, Irrigation and Agriculture department of Karimnagar district. Besides this other statistical data pertaining to crops have been obtained from the Bureau of Economics and Statistics for the two periods i.e. 2002 and 2012. These two periods has been studied and compared to find out fluctuations in the cropping patterns. For identifying the group of significant crops of a region, it is essential to adopt a statistical base. A large number of experts have suggested a number of statistical methods to delineate crop-combination regions.
Crops are generally grown in combinations (Weaver, 1954). The study of crop combination of any region has gained importance in geographical study. It gives us the relative position of crops on regional scale. Farmers grow crops in varied physical and cultural condition. The pattern of crop combination gives spatial predominance of certain crops or combination results the emergence of crop regions. Crop combination study in geography is fruitful in many ways; firstly it provides an adequate understanding of an individual crop. Secondly, combination is in itself an integrative reality and finally crop combination regions are essential for the construction of more complex structure of vivid agricultural regions (Weaver, 1954). A number of quantitative and qualitative methods have been used for computing of crop combination regions. In quantitative method, crops are arranged or ranked in hierarchical order and then crop combinations are determined. The ease of this method is the simplicity in calculation. Quantitative techniques are more precise, accurate and scientific than qualitative methods. First attempt for delineation of agricultural regions was made by Weaver in 1954. He studied crop combination for Middle West in United States. Later on, many more methods were introduced.
The Thomas technique suggests that the theoretical 2-crop combination. Thomas included all the crops in the region. It's quite a sensible modification. The final modification incorporated by Coppock (1964) was the use of the Thomas technique to calculate only the sum of squared deviations and not to divide it by the total number of crops under discussions. The Coppock technique, therefore, quite sensibly suggests that the divisions of the sum of squared deviations by the total number of crops included in discussion is an additional calculation without bringing about any further improvement in the result. The combination having the smallest or lowest sum of the squared deviations, known as the least squares, will be taken as the established crop combination. Here an attempt has been made to determine the crop association and delimit various crop combination regions based on average strength of selected crops. For these purpose, Weaver's minimum deviation technique was used.
Crop combination regions:
Mono crop culture:
The obtained results of crop combination have shown in Table-1 and 2. Crop combination regions have been identified in study region by applying Weaver's method. Only Rice crop have been identified as monoculture in study region. An examination of the crop combination figure-3 for the period 2001-02 reveals that mono culture with rice crop is found in the three mandals namely Gambhiraopet, Mustabad and Kamanpur. An examination of crop combination figure-4 for the period- 2012 shows a significant change in the pattern of crop combinations. As many as six mandals, such as Ramagundam, Peddapally, Kamanpur, Thadicherla, Shankarapatnam, Huzurabad has shown mono-culture with rice as the chief crop (Table-2).
Two crop combination:
Two- crop combination with ground nut and rice, rice and cotton, rice and maize, rice and jowar are found in the Metpally, Sultanabad, Yellareddipet, Vemulawada, Boinpally, Ellanthakunta, Mahamuttaram mandals of the district during the period 2002 (fig-3). Two-crop combination with rice and cotton has been replaced by rice and maize in 17 mandals such as Sarangapur, Dharmapuri, Medipally, Gambhiraopet, Mustabad, Dharmaram, Julapally, Eligedu, Sultanabad, Veenavanka, Kamalapur, Yellareddipet, Srirampur, Mutharam, Kataram and Mahamuttaram. 11 mandals have shown rice and maize as the combination and 6 mandals rice and cotton as the combination during the period 2012(fig-4).
Three crop combination:
Three-crop combinations are seen in several mandals of the district during 2002 (fig-3). The combination of crops is being rice, maize, total pulses, groundnut and cotton. Another significant change is noticed in several mandals during period 2012 (fig-4) where three crop combinations were seen during 2002 have been replaced by two crop combinations with chief crops being Rice-Cotton, Rice-Maize.
Table-1: Weaver's crop combination regions 2002 (Source: Computed by Researcher)
Crop combination region
Crops
Mandal name
Mono crop combination
Rice
Gambhiraopet, Mustabad, and Kamanpur
2 crop combination
Rice- Cotton
Rice-Maize
Metpally, Sultanabad, Yellareddipet, Vemulawada, Boinpally, Ellanthakunta and Mahamuttaram.
3-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses
Rice-Maize- Cotton
Maize- Rice-Turmeric
Metpally, Kathlapur, Chendurthy, Konaraopet, Siricilla, Kamalapur, Huzurabad, Kesavapatnam, Chigurumamidi, Thimmapur, Peddapally, Ramagundam, Dharmaram, Pegadapally, Mallial, Mahadevpur, Muttaram, Kataram and Thadicherla.
4-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Turmeric
Rice-Maize- Cotton- Total pulse.
Mallapur, Korutla, Medipally, Jagithial, Kodimial, Gangadhara, Ramadugu, Karimnagar, Choppadandi, Julapally, Koheda, Husnabad, Bhimdevarpally and Chigurumamidi.
5-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Turmeric-Sugarcane
Rice- Maize-Total pulses-Cotton-Sugarcane
Srirampur, Elkathurthi and Bejjanki.
Table 2. Weaver's crop combination regions 2012 (Source: Computed by Researcher)
Crop combination region
Crops
Mandal name
Mono- crop combination
Rice
Ramagundam, Peddapally, Kamanpur, Thadicherla, Shankarapatnam, Huzurabad.
2-crop combination
Rice- Cotton
Rice-Maize
Sarangapur, Dharmapuri, Medipally, Gambhiraopet, Mustabad, Dharmaram, Julapally, Eligedu, Sultanabad, Veenavanka, Kamalapur, Yellareddipet, Srirampur, Mutharam, Kataram and Mahamuttaram.
3-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses
Rice-Maize- Cotton
Maize- Rice-Turmeric
Karimnagar, Manakondur, Thimmapur, Bejjanki, Gangadhara, Ramadugu, Choppadandi, Husnabad, Jammikunta, Saidapur, Bhimdevarpally, Jagtial, Mallial, Kodimial, Pegadapally, Metpally, Korutla, Ibrahimpatnam, Siricilla, Ellanthakunta, Yellareddipet, Vemulawada, Boinpally, Odela and Velgatur.
4-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Turmeric
Rice-Maize- Cotton- Total pulse.
Thadicherla, Dharmapuri, Mallapur, Kathlapur, Chendurthy, Gangadhara and Koheda.
5-crop combination
Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Turmeric-Sugarcane.
Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Cotton -Sugarcane
Chigurumamidi.
Four crop combination:
During the period 2002, the crop combinations were Rice- Maize- Total pulses-Turmeric, Rice-Maize-Cotton-Total pulses (fig-3). Another significant change is noticed in several mandals where four crop combinations were seen during 2002 have been replaced by three crop combinations with chief crops being Rice-Maize-Cotton, Rice-Maize-Total pulses. Four crop combinations are found in seven mandals such as Mallapur, Kathlapur, Konaraopet, Gangadhara, Koheda and Mahadevpur during 2012 (table-2). Another significant change is noticed in several mandals where four crop combinations were seen during 2002 have been replaced by three crop combinations with chief crops being Rice-Maize-Cotton, Rice-Maize-Total pulses.
Five crop combination:
Five crop combination was noticed in Srirampur, Elkathurthi and Bejjanki during the period 2002(fig-3 & table-1). Five crop combination was found in only one mandal namely Chigurumamidi during the period 2012(fig-4 & table-2). The crop -combination is being Maize, Rice, Cotton, Ground nut and Total pulses.
Figure 3 Crop combination 2002
Figure 4 Crop combination 2012
Summary and conclusion
In order to attempt an exposition of agricultural land use pattern in Karimnagar district, mandal has been considered as unit for studying crop ranking and crop combination. The change in the cropping pattern in relation to agro climatic condition can provide high standard of productivity. The climatic condition of district is moderate but in Ramagundam is one of hottest places in the state and experiences extreme maximum and extreme minimum temperatures. The district receives maximum rain fall during South East Monsoon season. The major soils found here are soils like block cotton and red soil. Variety of crops is cultivated in district such as paddy, maize, turmeric, cotton, sugarcane, groundnut pulses etc.
Nearly 57% of the total geographical area of Karimnagar district is under cultivation. Forest occupies about 20% area to the total geographical area. The principal crops such as paddy, maize, cotton, ground nut, sugarcane and pulses are cultivated. The analysis of area under different crops revealed that the paddy dominates as single crop in most of the mandals in district. The ranking of crops data shows that paddy is cultivated as first crop in most of the mandals in district. Paddy is cultivated in every mandal in the study area. In few mandals, maize is cultivated as first crop. Paddy covers largest areal extent followed by maize.
According to Weaver's method of crop combination analysis there are maximum of 5 crop combination regions are in the district.
Mono crop culture with rice is noticed in Kamanpur and Mutharam (mnt) during period 1997-99 and Ramagundam, Peddapally, Manthani, Kesavapatnam, Mutharam and Huzurabad during 2007-09. The number of the mandals increased from 3 to 6, thus it shows the increasing the area under mono crop culture. The reason for rice cultivation and its increase is due to plentiful water resource, thus farmers are interested to cultivate this crop as this crop needs high source of water. In monoculture cropping practice mandals, nutrient cycle of soil gets disturbed and the soil become impoverished. Hence in these mandals it is advised the multiple cropping and mixed cropping to keep soil fertility status. Mono cropping may lead to loss of soil fertility. Hence to keep the soil fertility, some of the measurements in this respect should be taken. Green manuring which supply organic matter to the soil to keep the supply of humus is the cheapest and best source of building soil fertility. However, the cultivators are advised to grow leguminous crops in rotation with the extracting crops and thereby maintain the fertility of the soil. The leguminous crops, instead of depleting the soil, help in increasing its nitrogen content, while deep and fine roots increase the organic content of the soil and thus improve its physical properties.
Two-crop combination with rice and cotton has been replaced by rice and maize in 17 mandals such as Sarangapur, Dharmapuri, Maidipally, Gambiraopet, Mustabad, Dharmaram, Julapally, Eligedu, Sultanabad, Veenavanka, Kamalapur, Yellareddipet, Srirampur, Mutharam, Kataram and Mahamuttaram. Mainly Two-crop combination regions are identified in the eastern part of the district. Another significant change is noticed in several mandals where four crop combinations were seen during 1997-99 have been replaced by three crop combinations with chief crops being rice-maize-cotton, rice-maize-total pulses. Five crop combination regions are decreased from 3 to 1.
To conclude, the analysis of crop combination and their association reveals that there is diversified cropping pattern in Karimnagar. Mostly 3-4 crop combinations are identified in the district.
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