Crop Production and Management

Basic Practises Of Crop Production

Cultivation of crops involves several agricultural practises, which are undertaken by farmers over a period of time.

Major practices included in agriculture are as follows:

The basic steps given above for the crop production do not always occur in the same series. The water requirements of different crops are different but as the plants require a regular supply of water, irrigation of crops is carried out on a regular basis. Hence, irrigation is a continuous process, until the crops are ready for harvesting. Most farmers irrigate their crops before or after the application of manures and fertilisers as water makes the nutrients in the manures and fertilisers easily available to the plants.

Cultivation of crops involves several agricultural practises, which are undertaken by farmers over a period of time.

Major practices included in agriculture are as follows:

The basic steps given above for the crop production do not always occur in the same series. The water requirements of different crops are different but as the plants require a regular supply of water, irrigation of crops is carried out on a regular basis. Hence, irrigation is a continuous process, until the crops are ready for harvesting. Most farmers irrigate their crops before or after the application of manures and fertilisers as water makes the nutrients in the manures and fertilisers easily available to the plants.

Soil is made up of small particles of different sizes. Dead plants and animal parts are decomposed by soil organisms. This decomposition process releases various nutrients in soil. These nutrients are absorbed by plants as they are important for the growth of a plant.

Thus, soil is essential for a plant’s growth.

Do you know that air is present in soil?

Take some soil in a container. Add water to the container till the soil gets saturated in it. Then, let the soil dry. After a few days, carefully dig this soil.

You will find that crumbs (small pieces) of soil are formed. Break these crumbs and add water to them. You will observe air bubbles coming out of soil.

Can you tell why air bubbles appear out of soil on adding water?

This happens because water expels air from soil. This indicates the presence of air in soil.

In addition to air, soil also contains various minerals, water, dead plants, animal parts, and some living organisms.

The preparation of soil is the first step of growing a crop. This includes methods like ploughing.

Ploughing is tilling the land with the help of a plough. It turns soil upside down.

Curiosity Corner Earthworms are called a farmer’s friend. Do you know why? Earthworms are called a farmer’s friend because their burrowing action helps to loosen the soil particles. This also improves the physical structure of the soil and creates channels for the roots of plants to penetrate. They also help in the formation of humus.

Importance of ploughing

• It helps to loosen soil. Hence, it improves air circulation in soil.

• It helps in the retention of moisture.

• It helps in uprooting weeds from soil.

• It enhances the water retaining capacity of soil.

Ploughing forms big pieces of soil called crumbs. Ploughing is followed by levelling.

Tools for ploughing:

Plough

Ploughs are being used since ancient times for the purpose of tilling soil. A plough is made up of wood, and is drawn by a pair of bulls. It contains a strong iron strip, which is triangular in shape and is known as a ploughshare. The main part of this tool is made up of a long log of wood, which is known as a ploughshaft. At one end of the shaft, there is a handle while at the other end a beam is attached, which is placed on the neck of the bull. Nowadays, wooden ploughs have been replaced by iron ploughs.

Hoe

Hoe is a tool, which is used to remove weeds from soil and to loosen soil. It is made up of a long rod of wood or iron. It has a bent plate of iron fixed at one of its ends. It acts like a blade and is pulled by animals.

Cultivator

Ploughing is also done using a tractor-driven cultivator, which saves both time and labour.

Levelling: The crumbs formed during ploughing are broken by a wooden plank. Levelling is done with the help of a wooden-leveller, or a wooden plank attached to a tractor. Fields must be levelled properly before sowing and irrigation.

 

Curiosity Corner How will you know whether the soil is fertile or not? Soil testing provides the solution to this problem. Prior to preparation, some amount of soil is collected. This soil is subjected to a series of chemical tests to know its nutrient potential. If it is found that the soil is lacking certain nutrients, then manures and fertilisers are added to the soil. Ploughing is then carried out to ensure the proper mixing of the nutrients.

Soil is made up of small particles of different sizes. Dead plants and animal parts are decomposed by soil organisms. This decomposition process releases various nutrients in soil. These nutrients are absorbed by plants as they are important for the growth of a plant.

Thus, soil is essential for a plant’s growth.

Do you know that air is present in soil?

Take some soil in a container. Add water to the container till the soil gets saturated in it. Then, let the soil dry. After a few days, carefully dig this soil.

You will find that crumbs (small pieces) of soil are formed. Break these crumbs and add water to them. You will observe air bubbles coming out of soil.

Can you tell why air bubbles appear out of soil on adding water?

This happens because water expels air from soil. This indicates the presence of air in soil.

In addition to air, soil also contains various minerals, water, dead plants, animal parts, and some living organisms.

The preparation of soil is the first step of growing a crop. This includes methods like ploughing.

Ploughing is tilling the land with the help of a plough. It turns soil upside down.

Curiosity Corner Earthworms are called a farmer’s friend. Do you know why? Earthworms are called a farmer’s friend because their burrowing action helps to loosen the soil particles. This also improves the physical structure of the soil and creat…