Major Crops - Concepts - Chapter 4 Class 10 Geography - Agriculture - Geography

• Various food and non-food crops are grown in various regions of the nation depending on the changes in the soil, climate, and farming techniques . 
• Rice , wheat, millets, lentils, tea, coffee, sugarcane, oil seeds, cotton , and jute , are major crops cultivated in India.

Rice

• India is the second largest producer of rice in the world .
• It is a Kharif crop 
• Cimatic Condition to grow rice
• High temperature ( above 25 ° C)
• High precipitation ( above 100 cm )
• High humidity 
• In the areas of less rainfall, it grows with the help of irrigation
• Major rice producing states : West Bengal , Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, etc 

Wheat

• In the country's north and north-western regions , it serves as the primary food crop.
• It is a rabi crop
• Climatic conditions to grow wheat 
  •   Low temperature ( 20 ° - 25 ° C)
  • Bright sunshine at the time of ripening .
  • Moderate rainfall ( 50- 75 cm)
• Important wheat growing zones in India 
  • Ganga Satluj Plain 
  • Deccan region 
  • Major wheat producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, etc 

Millets 

TYPES OF MILLETS

• In India , the three most significant millets are jowar, bajra, and ragi. 
• They are known as coarse grains .
• These have a high nutritional value

RAGI

• Rich in iron, calcium , and roughage.
• Cultivate on red, black, sandy, loamy , and shallow black soils .
• Major ragi-producing states : Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.

BAJRA

• Grows on sandy and shallow black soils.
•   Major bajra-producing States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana.

JOWAR

• It is a rain-fed crop that is primarily grown in moist regions and requires little irrigation.
• Major Jowar producing States : Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Maize

• This particular crop is used both as food and fodder . 
• It is a Kharif crop
• Temperature suitable for growing maize : 21° C - 27° C
• It grows well on old alluvial soil .
• In Bihar maize is grown in the rabi season .
• Major maize-producing states: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Pulses 

• India is the largest producer and the consumer of pulses in the world .
• These constitute the main protein source in a vegetarian diet. 
• Major pulses are grown in India : tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas and gram. 
• Pulses can be grown in dry conditions and require less moisture .
• All leguminous crops (except arhar) help to restore soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.
• Typically cultivated with other crops in rotation .
• Major pulse-producing states in India: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.