AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

PULSES

There are a number of pulses grown in Bhandara district, the chief among them being lakh, udid, gram, tur and mug. The minor ones such as horse gram, masur, math, val, chavali and watana are also grown in the district. The pulses covered an area of 1,14,232 hectares during 1971-72. Table No. 9 gives tahsilwise area under pulses, during 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 and 1971-72 in Bhandara district. Table No. 10 gives outturn of pulses during 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 and 1971-72 in Bhandara district.

TABLE No. 9

AREA UNDER PULSES (TAHSILWISE) IN BHANDARA DISTRICT DURING 1961-1962, 1965-66, 1969-70 AND 1971-72.

*Note-Figures for the years 1969-70 and 1971-72 are given in hectares.

TABLE No. 10

OUTTURN OF PULSES IN BHANDARA DISTRICT IN 1961-62, 1965-66, 1969-70 and 1971-72.

Note.—Figures for the years 1961-62 and 1965-66 are given in tons and for the years 1969-70 and 1971-72 in Metric tonnes.

Lakh.— Lakhori (Lakh) is an important pulse crop sown after paddy and occupied an area of 62,465 hectares in 1971-72. It is grown in all the tahsils of the district. Gondia tahsil accounted for the highest area, i.e., 34,759 hectares whereas, Bhandara and Sakoli tahsils together accounted for 27,706 hectares during the same year. The seeds are sown in moist heavy soils in October-November when paddy crop is standing in the field ready for harvest. Lakhori crop is harvested in January-February. Its leaves and stalks when green are used as fodder for cattle in the paddy tract. The pulse is eaten both whole or split, cooked in various ways.

Udid.— Udid (black gram) is grown all over the district, In 1971-72, it occupied an area of 23,079 hectares of which an area of 13,461 hectares was in Sakoli tahsil, 7,100 hectares in Bhandara tahsil and 2,518 in Gondia tahsil. It is sown in June-July mixed with kharif crop and harvested in November. The ripe pulse is split and consumed. The stalks and leaves form good fodder for the cattle.

Gram.—Harbhara (gram) is another important pulse crop taken in the district. It covered an area of 11,696 hectares in 1971-72. Sakoli tahsil accounted for the highest area, viz., 5,071 hectares followed by Bhandara tahsil with 3,854 hectares and Gondia tahsil with 2,761 hectares. It is always produced as a rabi crop. It is grown particularly as a second crop after rice. No irrigation is generally given to the crop. It is sown in October-November and harvested after three months when the leaves become reddish brown and the green colour of the pods turns into white. The plants are uprooted and spread all over the threshing floor. After five or six days when the plants are dried they are either trampled by oxen or beaten with sticks.

It is a common practice to pluck off the tops of shoots before flowering to render them strong and bushy. This also helps to increase the yield. The tender leaf of this crop is used as a vegetable. Gram is eaten green and when ripe it is made into dal. Gram is a staple food of horses.

Tur.— Tur (pigeon pea) is grown all over the district. It covered an area of 6,857 hectares in 1971-72. It's cultivation was prominent in Bhandara tahsil which claimed 3,432 hectares followed by Gondia with 2,043 hectares and Sakoli with 1,382 hectares. It is sown in June-July and harvested in January-February. Usually it is produced on the bunds of rice fields. Generally, the sowing is done by dibbling method. Flowering and fruiting continues for over two months, thus allowing several pickings of ripe pods. The plants are cut close to the ground, then tied into bundles, and are brought to the threshing floor. After about a week the plants are usually beaten with long sticks. The stems are then separated, and tied into bundles, and the broken pods are winnowed. The green pods are eaten as a vegetable while ripe tur is split into dal and consumed in a variety of ways. The outer husk of the grain is used as fodder.

Horse gram.— Among other pulses grown in the district, horse gram (kulith) was predominant. Grown all over the district, with Sakoli tahsil accounting for the highest area followed by Gondia and Bhandara, it is sown in June - July and harvested in December. It is either taken as a single crop or mixed with other kharif crops grown in the district. The plants are uprooted and are brought to the threshing floor where they are trampled under the feet of oxen or beaten by sticks. The grains are usually brown and light red. The pulse is consumed by the poorer class of the people in the form of soup. It is also given to cattle after keeping it in water for one night.

Mug.— Mug (green gram) is another minor pulse crop grown in the district. It is mainly grown in Sakoli tahsil which claimed 684 acres of land under this crop during 1965-66. It is sown in June-July with kharif crop as a mixed crop and harvested in September. The crop matures within three to four months from sowing. The ripe pulse is split and consumed as dal. The leaves and the stalks are used as fodder.

Other pulses.— Other minor pulses grown in the district include chavali, masur, math, val and watana, The total area under other pulses was 10,135 hectares in 1971-72.

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