Crops in Kashmir and Ladakh, India

Crop distribution was investigated in the Kashmir and Ladakh regions of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Fruit and vegetable production was highly developed in Srinagar (capital of Kashmir) within a climate of relatively cool summers and moderate precipitation year-round. There were many kinds of vegetables, including predominantly Cucurbitaceae and Leguminosae and secondarily Cruciferae, Solanaceae, Umbelliferae and Liliaceae. The main staple food crops in Kashmir were paddy (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays). Ladakh is situated on the Tibetan plateau within a dry and cold climate. These severe climatic conditions restrict the available crop species and cultivation period. Therefore, crops and cropping systems in Ladakh were simpler than those in Kashmir. The main staple food crops in Ladakh were barley (Hordeum vulgare) and potato (Solanum tuberosum).