Long Term Changes in Cropping Pattern of Bathinda District, Punjab - a Remote Sensing Approach

With the availability of required inputs for intensive agriculture, the cropping system in Punjab state has undergone a paradigm shift, from a much diversified cropping pattern to a very specialized monocropped one. A study was undertaken in Bathinda district of Punjab State for mapping crop area, cropping pattern and finally long term changes in cropping pattern. Multi-year, multi-date, IRS LISS I, WiFS & LISS III and RADARSAT ScanSAR data were used to map area under major crops and to generate the cropping pattern maps for the years 1988-89, 1998-99 and 2003-04, respectively. The study revealed that in Bathinda district which is lying in the south-western part of Punjab, popularly known as cotton belt, rice (Oryza sativa L.) -wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system has come in place of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L)-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other minor cropping systems in large area where assured irrigation water is available. The results revealed that over the years, the area under rice has been increasing at the expanse of cotton as well as other minor crops, mainly because of clearing of sand dunes which were brought under cultivation by farmers and with the expansion of irrigation facilities. The closer look to the spatial distribution of different cropping systems reveal that rice wheat system, which was dominant in the northern part of the district in the year 1998-99 has spread to the other parts of the district by the year 2003-04.