V. R. KiresurAshwini B. C.2017-03-062017-03-06http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810004112The study attempts to know the development of irrigation infrastructure, cropping pattern and profitability of crops cultivated in Cauvery river basin of Karnataka. The study uses primary and secondary data pertaining to Mandya district, which is the major beneficiary of the KRS Project of Cauvery basin for irrigation purpose. For this study 120 farm households were selected through appropriate sampling procedure. The data thus collected were processed using statistical tools including descriptive tools, Compound Annual Growth Rate, Markov Chain Analysis, Cobb-Douglas Production Function and Garrett Ranking Method. The results revealed that, the irrigation intensity in the study area was hardly 118 per cent, and nearly 72 per cent of the gross irrigated area in Mandya district depends on canal water for irrigation, while tanks and tube/bore wells support 16 per cent and 4 per cent, as other sources contributing remaining 8 per cent. Paddy, ragi, coconut, sugarcane, horsegram, maize and sesamum were the major crops cultivated in the study area. Mono-cropping was done season after season and year after year and not much of healthy crop rotation practices were followed. Given the availability of irrigation water, the current cropping pattern with greater emphasis on paddy and sugarcane for commercial reasons and ragi for domestic consumption purposes, would be likely to continue in the near future. In general in the study area, sugarcane was the most profitable crop with a mean net returns of Rs.1,47,288 per ha and a benefit-cost ratio of 2.02. The corresponding figures for paddy were Rs.31,342 per ha and 1.52, while for ragi they were Rs.3,159 per ha and 1.12. Over the last decade, maize, banana, sesamum and coconut have gained importance as indicated by their significant positive high compound annual growth rates in cropped area, which is a desirable change replacing the age-old monotonous sugarcane-paddy cropping system. Labour scarcity and high wage rate were the serious problems faced by the sample respondents in crop production. Amongst the irrigation related problems, untimely and inadequate release of water from the dam for irrigation purposes and sedimentation in canals and tanks were the most serious ones. These problems need to be addressed by the policy makers on priority basis.ennullThesis