Evaluation of soil suitability for the cultivation of oilseed crops in Rajpura block, Patiala district of Punjab

Among the various categories of agricultural produce, oilseed crops assume a critical position in the realms of food security and the nation’s economic advancement. In India, oilseeds rank as the second most prominent category of crops, after cereals, contributing 14% to the overall gross cropped area and constituting nearly 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP). The cultivation of oilseed crops represents an optimal alternative for land utilisation, given the widespread adaptability of these crops to diverse climatic conditions. Thus, the soil suitability of oilseed crops in Rajpura block, Patiala district, Punjab, was assessed for alternate agricultural land use planning of this block. The suitability of the oilseed crops viz., groundnut, mustard, sunflower, soybean and castor, have been assessed. The data indicated that a significant portion of the block, about 42.79%, is classified as moderately suitable, while 22.15% is classified as suitable, and the remaining 21.05% is marginally suitable for the cultivation of groundnut. In the context of mustard cultivation, 47.24% of the block’s area is categorised as suitable, whereas 17.7% is classified as moderately suitable, and 21.05% is identified as marginally suitable. The cultivation of sunflower is suitable for 57.86% of the block’s area, moderately suitable for 3.56%, and marginally suitable for 24.57%, respectively. The evaluation of soybean suitability indicated that 50.8% of the area is classified as suitable, whereas 12.46% is categorised as moderately suitable, and 22.73% of the area is marginally suitable, respectively. The cultivation of castor is found to be suitable for 47.24% of the block’s area, followed by 33.35% categorised as marginally suitable and 5.4% as moderately suitable, respectively. Hence, oilseed crops are the best alternatives for sustainable and economically viable agricultural development. This approach will also help to achieve food and livelihood security in the block.