Adaptive crop planning for Cuttack: Leveraging soil and rainfall for drought mitigation

Abstract

An observational study conducted in Cuttack district, Odisha, India, from 1988 to 2024, aimed to assess soil fertility, evaluate rainfall trends and drought patterns, and propose block-wise crop planning strategies to enhance drought resilience. Soil samples from 14 blocks were analyzed for texture (sandy clay loam to loamy sand, with sand: 56-83.3%, clay: 3.2-25.3%), pH (6.3-7.9), organic carbon (3.1-6.4 g kg⁻¹), and nutrients (nitrogen: 209-432 kg ha⁻¹, phosphorus: 4.2-147.5 kg ha⁻¹, potassium: 140.0-431.6 kg ha⁻¹) using standard methods. Rainfall data over the same period showed an increasing trend (e.g., 34.83 mm/year in Banki), with 76.1% of rainfall occurring during the monsoon and moderate droughts affecting 13% of years, particularly in Banki and Damapada. Using Markov chain and incomplete gamma distribution models, block-wise crop plans were developed, incorporating drought-resistant rice varieties (e.g., Pooja, Sarala), pulses, and intercropping systems to enhance agricultural resilience under variable rainfall and drought conditions.