Delineation of Efficient Cotton Growing Regions of Tamil Nadu
Rajashree Khatua *
Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
S. Panneerselvam
Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
V. Geethalakshmi
Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
M. Kumar
Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
P. Jeyakumar
Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Cotton is an immensely important crop for the sustainable economy of India and livelihood of the Indian cotton farming community. Identification of potential regions would help in increasing the productivity, ensures better utilization of available resources and avoid wastage of resources in the inefficient zones. Efficient cropping zones of the Cotton crop of Tamil Nadu were keyed out with 30 years data (1985-2015) using Relative Yield Index (RYI) and Relative Spread Index (RSI). The results reveled that in Tamil Nadu, fifteen districts were found for MECZ and three for ECZ. Coimbatore is most essential area for cotton crop. Similarly eight districts are coming under LECZ because RSI were very less compare to RYI. Tiruchirapalli and Ramanathapuram both the district have less RYI and RSI indicating NECZ for cotton crop.
Keywords: Efficient cropping zone, most efficient cropping zone, less efficient cropping zone, inefficient cropping zone, relative spread index and relative yield index.