Contents

1. Cropping Pattern 175

1.1. Cropping Systems 175

1.2. Significance of Cropping System 175

1.3. Factors Affecting the Cropping Pattern 176

1.4. Types of Cropping Systems 177

1.4.1. Mono-Cropping 177

1.4.2. Multiple Cropping 177

2. Major Crops in India 179

3. Cropping System in India 181

3.1. Evolution 181

3.2. Categories of Crops in India 182

3.2.1. Based on End Usage 182

3.2.2. Based on Seasons 183

3.3. Cropping Patterns in India 183

3.4. Major Agricultural Regions or Zones of India 184

4. Previous Years GS Mains Questions 187

5. Previous Years UPSC Mains Questions 193

Temporal Arrangements (time) refers to the yearly sequence of growing different crops on a piece of land. For example, if only one crop is grown on a particular land year after year (like rice in various floodplains) it is called Mono cropping.

Spatial Arrangements (space/land) refers to the arrangement of crop/s on a piece of land in various patterns. For example, if two crops are grown on a land in alternative rows it is called Row inter-cropping.