Crop Production And Management

Maize is a kharif crop so it requires high temperature, rainfall and humidity for its growth. Low temperature is required for growth of rabi crop.

Ginger is a modified underground stem and it is vegetative propagated through stem called rhizome.

Organic manure are obtained due to decomposition of dead and decayed plant and animal matter. They are relatively less rich in plant nutrients as compared to chemical fertilizers.

Threshing is the process of separation of grain seeds from chaff. It is done by thresher or manually.

Irrigation is necessary because water is required for germination of seeds, it protects crops from hot and frost air currents, mainly plants absorbs nutrients in dissolved form. So water is necessary.

Hoe is an agricultural implement which is a long rod of wood or iron with a broad, bent and strong iron plate at its one end which is used to remove weeds. It is also used for loosening soil.

Fertilizers are not environment friendly they cause water pollution. Excessive use of it make the soil less fertile.

Weeds are unwanted plants which grow along with our crops and compete with them for water, light, nutrients, and space. They also affect plant growth and interfere in harvesting as along with crops they get mixed up.

Ploughing or tilling is the process of loosening and turning of soil. It is done by plow, hoe or cultivator.

June to September is the month of monsoon where mainly Kharif crops are grown in India.

Drip system is a modern method of irrigation where water flows through narrow pipes and falls drop by drop near the roots of the plants.

Seed drill

A seed drill is a modern mechanical method of sowing seeds using a tractor. Whereas the rest implements like a plough, hoe, chain pump and sickle are traditional tools used in agriculture for loosening or tilling the soil, removing weeds, irrigation, and harvesting.

Before sowing the seeds in a dry piece of land we should first prepare the soil for a proper yield of crops. Preparation of soil includes loosening and tilling the soil (ploughing), watering, leveling the soil, adding manures and fertilizers.

i. False

No, we should use proper agricultural practices to get a better yield of crops.

ii. False

It will increase the fertility of the soil. This practicing of growing different crops in different seasons is called crop rotation.

iii. False

Some crop plants like paddy and vegetables like tomato and chilly are grown by the process of transplantation.

iv. False

The root nodules of leguminous plants contain Rhizobium bacteria which fixes atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates or nitrites.

v. True

They should be dried before storing because moisture damaged them and they cannot be stored for a longer period of time.

Farmers grow mustard during the month of October and they harvested in the month of March as it is a rabi crop and required low temperature for their growth.

Loosening and tilling of the soil makes the soil porous and allows easy exchange of gases thus promotes the growth of earthworms which in turn releases nutrients into the soil.

Kharif crops are grown between the month of June to September. Rice, soyabean, cotton are Kharif crops, whereas Rabi crops are grown between the month of October – March. Peas, wheat, gram etc are Rabi crops.

The Kharif crop soyabean and Rabi crop gram or peas are leguminous crops which can fix nitrogen due to the presence of Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules.

(i) c

Sickle is used for manual harvesting. Harvesting is the process of cutting and gathering matured or ripened crops.

(ii) a

Hoe is an agricultural implement which is a long rod of wood or iron with a broad, bent and strong iron plate at its one end which is used to remove weeds. It is also used for loosening soil.

(iii) b

Seed drill is a mechanical method of sowing seeds using a tractor. It is a long iron tube having a funnel at the top where seeds are put and seeds are gradually released into soil furrows.

(iv) d

Sprinkler is a modern method of irrigation where water is sprinkled from revolving nozzles connected to water pipelines.

The crops that are cultivated using organic manures, fertilizers instead of chemical ones are called organic foods. They are cultivated using environmental friendly methods.

The living things which are farmer’s friends are earthworm, microbes, rhizobium, ox, seed etc.

Non-living things are plough, urea, manure,NPK fertilizers etc.

a) A seed drill is used with a tractor for sowing seeds in a field.

A seed drill is a mechanical method of sowing seeds using a tractor. It is a long iron tube having a funnel at the top where seeds are put and seeds are gradually released into soil furrows.

b) The advantages of using seed drill are,

i. Seeds are sown at a uniform distance and depth to avoid over-crowding.

ii. After sowing, seeds are covered by soil which prevents them from being eaten by birds.

iii. It saves time and labour.

a) The practice followed for the large-scale rearing of farm animals is termed as animal husbandry.

b) Animals are provided with proper food, shelter, and care.

Maize, paddy, cotton, and groundnut are Kharif crops as they are grown in the month of June – September. They are also called as summer crops. They are harvested at the end of monsoon.

Mustard, pea, gram, and wheat are rabi or winter crops. They are grown in the month of October – March. They are harvested at the end of winter season.

If despite favourable climatic conditions, a farmer’s crop failed to give a good yield, the possibilities may be:

a) He did not use healthy and good quality seeds.

b) His field might not be well irrigated.

c) Seeds were not sown inappropriate distance and depth.

d) The soil might not be tilled or ploughed or leveled properly.

e) Weeds were not removed.

f) Manures or fertilizers might not be added at the proper time or in proper quantity.

Besides the given materials, the other items required are seeds and seedlings of vegetables, plants from a nursery, manure, water, soil, kitchen waste etc.

Steps for raising the garden are

a) Kitchen waste is collected and dumped in a pit to form compost.

b) A piece of land is chosen for a vegetable garden.

c) Then soil is dug by a shovel and then levelled by a spade.

d) Seeds are sown or transplantation of seedlings are done.

e) As per season seedlings or seeds are chosen.

f) Watering of the plants using water can.

g) Then compost prepared in the pit is added.

h) Periodically we should remove weeds by khurpi.

a) Paddy is cultivated in rainy season as it is a Kharif crop.

b) For sowing paddy seeds are first grown in the nursery then the seedlings are transplanted into the fields. This process helps in selecting healthy and better seedlings for cultivation so that we can get good quality crops.

c) Harvested grains should be properly dried under the sun to remove moisture. Dried neem leaves should be added to stored grains to prevent the attack of pests. We can spray rodenticides or insecticides time to time to prevent the attack of rodents or insects. In this way, we can prevent spoilage and insect attack of harvested grains.

i) SILOS

Silos are the big containers that are used for storage of grains in large quantities.

ii. Threshing

It is the process of separation of grain seeds from chaff.

iii. Irrigation

The process of supplying water at regular intervals to crops is called irrigation.

iv. River

Water is supplied to crop fields from rivers which are found adjacent to crop fields.

Harvesting is the activity carried out in crop fields after maturation of crops. It is the process of cutting and gathering matured or ripened crops.

i. The use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, weedicides are not environment-friendly as they contain chemicals which are very harmful and causes health hazards. Excessive use of them may reduce the fertility of the soil. Some pesticides like DDT enter food chain causing biomagnification. These chemicals washed away into water bodies causing water pollution and eutrophication. Tractors may cause air and noise pollution.

ii. Modern agricultural implements save time, labour and they are a very effective method as compared to traditional tools.

iii. Example of weedicide is 2,4-D. Farmers should cover their mouth and nose with a cloth while spraying weedicides.

We should adopt modern agricultural methods and tools to increase crop production so that it can meet the demand of growing population. Due to inefficient crop production and its management, a large section of the population is going hungry and malnourished. So by efficient crop production and its management and using modern agricultural implements and techniques we can solve this problem to some extent. We are approaching GREEN REVOLUTION technique to solve the problem of malnutrition and hunger in our country.

The correct sequence is Tilling and ploughing, sowing, manuring, irrigation, de-weeding, harvesting.

First, the soil is tilled and ploughed. Then they are leveled. Seeds are then sown followed by adding manures and water. From time to time weeds are removed and finally, harvesting of crops is done.