CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

WHAT IS A CROP?

When plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop.

WHICH BASIS ARE CROPS CLASSIFIED ON?

Season in which they grow.

WHAT IS A CROP?

When plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop.

WHICH BASIS ARE CROPS CLASSIFIED ON?

Season in which they grow.

WHAT ARE THE TWO BROAD CROPPING PATTERNS?

Kharif and Rabi crops.

WHAT ARE KHARIF CROPS?

Crops which are sown in the rainy season.

IN WHICH MONTHS DO KHARIF CROPS GROW?

June-September

WHAT ARE THE EXAMPLES OF KHARIF CROPS?

cotton, maize , soyabeans , groundnut and rice

WHAT ARE RABI CROPS?

Crops grown in the winter season.

IN WHICH MONTHS DO RABI CROPS GROW?

October-March

WHAT ARE THE EXAMPLES OF RABI CROPS?

Wheat, barley ,cereal , Pea, Mustard, Linseed

WHY PADDY CAN NOT BE GROWN IN THE WINTER SEASON?

It requires a lot of water.

WHAT ARE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES?

Several activities undertaken by farmers to grow crops.

WHAT DO THE STEPS OF AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES INCLUDE?

1.Preparation of soil
2.Sowing
3.Adding manure and fertiliserz
4.Irrigation
5.Protecting from weeds
6.Harvesting
7.Storage

IMPORTANT STEP OF AGRICULTURE.

Turn the soil and loosen it.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TURN THE SOIL AND LOOSEN IT?

This allows the roots to penetrate deep into the soil.
It allows the roots to breathe easily even when they go deep into the soil.

WHY DOES THE LOOSENING OF SOIL HELP THE ROOTS TO BREATHE EASILY?

because...It allows them to penetrate into the spaces in between the soil particles which have air trapped in them.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LOOSEN THE SOIL AND TURN IT?

The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes present in the soil. These organisms are friends of the farmer since they further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to it.

WHY SHOULD SOIL BE LOOSENED AND TURNED?

turning and loosening of soil brings the nutrient-rich soil to the top so that plants can use these nutrients.

WHAT IS TILTING?

The process of loosening and turning of the soil.

HOW IS TILTING/PLOWING/PLOUGHING OF THE SOIL DONE?

Plough.

WHICH MATERIAL IS A PLOUGH MADE OF?

Wood or Iron.

HOW IS LEVELLING OF SOIL DONE?

Leveller.

WHY IS MANURE ADDED TO SOIL BEFORE TILTING/PLOWING/PLOUGHING?

Helps in proper mixing of manure with soil.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN TOOLS USED FOR BREAKING UP SOIL CLUMPS?

Plough, Cultivator, Hoe.

USES OF PLOUGH?

Tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to the crop, removing the weeds.

USES OF HOES

used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil.

DESCRIBE HOES

A strong, broad and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works like a blade. It is pulled by animals.

WHAT IS A CULTIVATOR?

ploughing is done by tractor-driven cultivator

WHAT ARE THE USES ADVANTAGES OF A CULTIVATOR?

The use of cultivator saves labour and time.

WHY DO SEEDS FLOAT ON WATER?

Damaged seeds become hollow and are thus lighter. Therefore, they float on water.

WHAT IS A GOOD METHOD FOR SEPARATING GOOD, HEALTHY SEEDS FROM THE DAMAGED ONES?

Put seeds in a vessel full of water.

WHAT ARE THE TOOLS USED FOR SOWING?

Traditional tool and Seed drill.

DESCRIBE THE TRADITIONAL TOOL OF SOWING.

Shaped like a funnel, the seeds are filled into the funnel and are passed down by 2 to 3 pipes having sharp ends.These ends pierce into the soil and place seeds there.

DESCRIBE A SEED DRILL.

it is like a funnel shaped bowl connected to several tubes the drill is attached to a plough as it makes furrows along the field and places the seed there

WHY IS APPROPRIATE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SEEDS NECESSARY?

to get sufficient sunlight, nutrients and water from the soil.

WHAT ARE MANURES AND FERTILIZERS?

The substances which are added to the soil in the form of nutrients for the healthy growth of plants are called manure and fertilisers.

WHAT LEAVES THE SOIL WITH A LACK OF NUTRIENTS?

Continuous cultivation of crops makes the soil poor in nutrients.

WHY DO FARMERS ADD MANURES AND FERTILIZERS TO FIELDS?

Farmers have to add manure to the fields to replenish the soil with nutrients.

WHAT IS MANURING?

The process in which farmers add manure to the fields to replenish the soil with nutrients is called manuring.

WHAT IS MANURE?

Manure is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or animal wastes.

HOW ARE FERTILIZERS DIFFERENT FROM MANURE?

Fertilisers are produced in factories.

WHAT ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF FERTILIZERS?

Urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).

WHAT IS ANOTHER METHOD OF REPLENISHING THE SOIL WITH NUTRIENTS?

Crop rotation.

HOW DO FARMERS PERFORM CROP ROTATION?

This can be done by growing different crops alternately.

WHERE IS RHIZOBIUM FOUND?

In the nodules of roots of leguminous plants.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF MANURE?

It enhances the water holding capacity of the soil.t makes the soil porous due to which exchange of gases becomes easy. It increases the number of friendly microbes. It improves the texture of the soil.

WHAT IS IRRIGATION?

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

IN SUMMERS, THE FREQUENCY OF WATERING IS HIGHER, WHY IS THAT SO?

It is because due to the increased rate of evaporation of water from the soil and the leaves.

WHAT ARE THE TRADITIONAL METHODS OF IRRIGATION?

(i) moat ii) chain pump(iii) dhekli, and (iv) rahat

WHAT IS MOAT ALSO CALLED AS?

pulley-system

WHAT IS RAHAT ALSO CALLED AS?

Lever system

WHAT ARE PUMPS COMMONLY USED FOR?

Pumps are commonly used for lifting water.

WHAT ARE THE MODERN METHODS OF IRRIGATION?

Sprinkler System and Drip system.

WHAT ARE WEEDS?

Weeds are the undesirable crop that may naturally grow with crops.

WHAT IS WEEDING?

The removal of weeds is called weeding

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME FOR WEED REMOVAL?

The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and seeds.

WHAT ARE THE TOOLS USED TO UPROOT WEEDS?

Khurpi and Seed Drill.

WHAT ARE WEEDICIDES?

The chemicals used to control the growth of weeds.

WHAT ARE THE PRECAUTIONS FARMERS NEED TO TAKE WHILE SPRAYING WEEDICIDES?

They should cover their nose and mouth with a piece of cloth during spraying of these chemicals.

WHAT IS HARVESTING?

The cutting of crop after it is mature is called harvesting.

WHAT IS THE MANUAL METHOD OF HARVESTING?

Using a sickle.

WHAT IS THE MACHINE USED FOR HARVESTING CROPS CALLED AS?

Harvester.

WHAT IS THRESHING?

The process of separating seed grains from the stalk

WHAT IS THE MACHINE THAT PERFORMS THE PROCESS OF THRESHING CALLED?

thresher

WHAT ARE THE FESTIVALS ASSOCIATED WITH HARVEST SEASON?

Pongal, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya and Bihu.

WHAT SHOULD HARVESTED GRAINS BE PROTECTED FROM?

From moisture, insects, rats and microorganisms.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF FRESHLY HARVESTED GRAINS ARE STORED WITHOUT DRYING?

They may get spoilt or attacked by organisms, making them unfit for use or for germination.

HOW DO FARMERS DRY FRESHLY HARVESTED CROPS?

The grains are properly dried in the sun.

WHAT DOES DRYING OF HARVESTED CROP/SEEDS PREVENT?

This prevents the growth of harmful microbes

WHERE DO FARMERS KEEP FRESHLY HARVESTED CROPS?

Farmers store grains in jute bags or metallic bins.

WHERE ARE CROPS STORED ON A LARGE SCALE?

silos and granaries

WHAT IS ANIMAL HUSBANDRY?

the science of breeding and caring for farm animals