AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR POTATO CROP INTENSIFICATION USING TEMPORALREMOTE-SENSING DATA

Temporal remote sensing data, along with soil, physiographic rainfall and temperature information, were modelled to derive a potato-growing environment index. This was used to identify the agriculture areas sui table for growing potato crops in the Bardhaman district, West Bengal, India. The crop rotation information derived from multi-date Indian R emote Sensing satellite (IRS) LISS-I data were used to characterize th e present utilization pattern of the identified area. The result showe d that around 99,000 ha agricultural area was suitable for growing pot ato crops. At present, only 36-38% of this area is under potato cultiv ation. Around 15% of the area goes to summer rice, and is thus not ava ilable for potato crop cultivation. The rest of thr identified area, a mounting to around 45,000 ha (46-48%), lies fallow after the harvest o f kharif rice. This area thus, if given priority under the potato crop intensification programme initiated by the Government of West Bengal, has a high probability of success. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.