Pulses in Rice Fallow: A Way towards Achieving Nutritional Security: A Review

Rice is the most important staple food crop of our country. Due to climatic condition and geographical situation our country is the most important rice growing country of the whole world. It is mostly grown during kharif season, but interestingly around 11.7 M ha of land remains fallow after kharif rice were harvested due to several limitations. Efficient utilization of these fallow land may increase the productivity and make the whole system sustainable. Soil condition and climatic situation clearly suggest that short duration crop can easily be fit in that situation. Pulse takes an important position in human’s daily life. It not only providing high quality protein but also benefit the cropping system in several ways. The resources present in the rice fallows clearly giving an opportunity to introduce different pulse crop there. It will surely be an excellent inclusion. If the location specific constraints are been managed efficiently then those unutilized lands can be efficiently converted into productive one. It will not only increase the production of the system but also strengthen the economic condition of the farmers, improve the soil condition and more over it will ensure nutritional security of the people of our country.