Successful cultivation of pulses in kharif

摘要

Pulses are important source of dietary protein & contain some of the essential amino acids which cereals lack. Besides, these crops have a unique property of maintaining and restoring soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. Pulses are important group of crops and play a great role in sustainable agriculture. These crops have unique property of maintaining and restoring soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation as well as conserving & improving physical properties of soil on account of their deep root system and leaf fall. Besides, pulses are important source of dietary protein & contain some of the essential amino acids in which the cereals are lacking. Apart from the human diet, pulses form an important fraction of cattle feed. Pulses are grown both in kharif and rabi seasons. Moong, mash, arhar and rice bean are important pulses grown during kharif in Punjab. However, area under these crops is not increasing due to the continuous preference of Punjab farmers for paddy owingto govt policies favourable towards paddy. Excessive paddy cultivation has given Punjab a declining sub-soil water and deteriorating soil health. So, there is need to increase the area under pulses and also to enhance their productivity to sustain agriculture on a long term basis.