STUDY OF CROPPING SYSTEM IN MORIGAON DISTRICT OF ASSAM USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUE

A proper cropping system is required to enhance crop productivity. Cropping systems like intensity and rotation needs to be planned thoroughly for sustainable development of agricultural land. Remote sensing data can be used to detect accurately the start and end of cropping seasons of annual crops resulting in more realistic spatial patterns of cropping intensity and crop duration.  Study has been carried out to analyze existing cropping system and deriving indices (namely, Multi Cropping Index, Area Diversity Index and Cultivated Land Utility Index) using space technology for proper management of agricultural land to enhance productivity. To extract area under different crop season, a season specific normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) threshold had been used to identify whether an agricultural pixel is cropped or outcropped within agricultural land in a given season namely kharif, rabi and zaid. The cropping intensity or pattern was found to be single cropped, double cropped and triple crop. Cropping system indices derived for the study area reveals the need of better cropping system planning for intensification with short duration crops. In future, high resolution, high temporal and microwave data can be explored for better crop discrimination.