Organic farming of rice (Oryza sativa L.) - wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system: a review

Sustainability problem caused by factor productivity decline due to indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in rice-wheat cropping system can be solved with production of the cropping system under organic farming. Organic farming enhances soil organic carbon, available phosphorus content and microbial population / enzymatic activity of soil thus making it sustainable for organic crop production. Use of different organic amendments in combinations and in a cumulative manner can meet the nutrient requirement of organic rice and wheat in rice-wheat cropping system. The main weed control strategies used in organic farming of rice-wheat cropping system is often combine cultural or husbandry techniques with direct mechanical and thermal methods. Pests are generally not a significant problem in organic system, since healthy plants living in good soil with balanced nutrition are better able to resist pest and disease attack. However, commercial production of biopesticides containing different bacteria, fungi and viruses has been undertaken to control certain insects, pests and diseases in organic crop production systems. Owing to positive influence of organic components in rice-wheat cropping system, it is therefore, be assumed that those farmers who adopted organic management practices, found a way to improve the quality of their soil, or at least stemmed the deterioration ensuring productive capacity for future generations.