The Indo-Gangetic Region (IGR), situated
in the north of India, occupies nearly 20% of the total
geographical area of India. The IGR of India primarily
encompasses five states: West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Haryana and Punjab. Rice-wheat cropping system is the major
cropping system in the IGR. Rainfed rice predominates in
the abundant rainfall zones of the eastern part where there
is scope for growing rice under ponded water conditions
during the rainy season, while irrigated rice is ...