Prioritization of traditional tribal field crops based on RWUE in Koraput district of Odisha

Abstract

-1 mm -1 ) in low lying jhola land. Among the pulses and oilseeds, black gram and niger have emerged better in drought situation and the increase of RWUE of black gram and niger was 45 and 73%, respectively. The RWUE of cabbage (53.27 kgha -1 mm -1 ) and cauliflower (49.55 kgha -1 mm -1 ) was higher than other vegetables, but, under water stress condition, french bean performed better. In sufficient rain year ginger and turmeric showed higher RWUE (19.79 and 17.81 kgha -1 mm -1 , respectively) but there performance drastically decreased during drought year. Farmers prefer the combination of lowland paddy at jhola land, finger millet, niger, black gram, cabbage/cauliflower and beans at medium to upland and ginger and turmeric at the beda land (land parallel to jhola land) during sufficient rainfall year. During drought year, lowland paddy at jhola land, finger millet, niger, black gram at upland and beans at beda land can be a better choice. Therefore, the study will be a ready-reckoner to the planners/policy makers to devise effective crop combination for better economic return to the rainfed tribal farmers of Koraput district.