What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system ? How crop…

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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 crops in the system ?

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Rice and wheat yields in the Indo-Gangetic heartland have plateaued because of soil fatigue, groundwater depletion, resistant weeds and pests, late sowing and heat stress. Diversification with legumes, maize and millets restores soil nitrogen, breaks pest cycles, saves water and spreads climate risk.

**Introduction**

Rice and wheat hit record outputs in 2024-25, yet in the Indo-Gangetic rice-wheat heartland yields have plateaued since the late 1990s while fertiliser, water and energy used per tonne keep rising.

**Reasons for Declining Yields**

1. **Soil fatigue**: Puddling and residue removal have depleted soil organic carbon, created a hardpan and caused zinc and sulphur deficiencies, while urea-heavy use skews the nutrient ratio.
2. **Groundwater depletion**: Paddy has pushed Punjab's groundwater extraction above recharge in CGWB assessments, raising pumping costs.
3. **Pests and weeds**: Monoculture bred isoproturon-resistant Phalaris minor and allowed the 2022 dwarf virus outbreak in paddy.
4. **Late sowing and heat**: Delayed paddy transplanting under Punjab's 2009 subsoil water law pushes wheat late, and the March 2022 heatwave shrivelled grain.

**How Diversification Stabilises Yields**

SKETCH: flow-cycle | Diversification Resets the System
- Rice-wheat monoculture
- Legume or maize break
- Soil and pest reset
- Steadier cereal yields

1. **Biological nitrogen**: A summer moong or berseem break fixes nitrogen and raises the following cereal's yield.
2. **Breaking pest cycles**: Rotation with berseem or potato disrupts Phalaris minor.
3. **Saving water**: Haryana's Mera Pani Meri Virasat (2020) pays farmers to shift paddy to maize, cotton or pulses.
4. **Spreading risk**: Millets, pulses and livestock cushion farmers against single heat or rain shocks.

**Way Forward**

1. **Crop-neutral support**: Extend assured procurement to pulses, maize and millets, as the Johl Committee urged when it advised shifting a fifth of Punjab's rice-wheat area.
2. **Soil and seed**: Scale direct-seeded rice, Happy Seeder sowing and Soil Health Card advice, and spread ICAR's heat-tolerant wheat varieties.

**Conclusion**

Diversified rotations that rebuild soil, save water and spread risk can turn rice-wheat fatigue into stable yields and sustainability-first agriculture.

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 crops in the system ?

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