CROP PRODUCTION & MANAGEMENT

CROPWhen plants of same kind are grown and cultivated at

one place on a large scale, it is called a crop.

TYPES OF CROPSKharif Crop:- The crops which are sown in rainy season are kharif crops. Examples: Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton etc.

Rabi Crop:- The crops grown in the winter season are called rabi crops.Examples: Wheat, gram, pea, mustard, linseed etc.

BASIC PRACTICES OF CROP PRODUCTION

Preparation of Soil Sowing Adding manure and fertilisers Irrigation Protecting from weeds Harvesting Storage

Preparation of SoilPreparation of soil is the first step in cultivating a crop for

food production. It requires 3 steps, that arei) Ploughing- The process of loosening and turning the soil is called ploughing(or tilling). It is done with the help of a plough, hoe or a cultivator attached to bullocks or tractor.ii) Levelling- the ploughed soil is quite loose so it is liable to be carried away by strong winds or washed away by

rain water. Thus, the ploughed soil is levelled by pressing it with a wooden or an iron leveller so as to prevent soil

erosion.iii) Manuring- Manuring means adding manure to the soil. Sometimes, manure is added to the soil before ploughing. Addition of manure to soil before ploughing helps in proper

mixing of manure with the soil. Manuring helps in better yield of the crop.

SOWING*The process of scattering or putting seeds into the

ground is called sowing.*Before sowing good quality seeds are selected. Good quality seeds are clean and healthy, free from infection

and diseases.*There are two methods of sowing seeds-

SOWING BY HAND and SOWING WITH A SEED DRILL.*Sowing with a seed drill is considered better than

sowing with hand because-1. The seeds are in regular rows

2. it saves time and labour.

Adding manures and fertilisersRepeated growing of crops in the same field removes a lot of precious

mineral elements, organic matter and other materials from the soil. The deficiency of plant nutrients and organic matters in the soil is

made up of by adding manuring and fertilisers to the soil.DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MANURES AND FERTILISERS-

Manures-1. A manure is a natural substance obtained by the decomposition of

animal wastes like cow dung, human waste and animal residue.

2. Manure can be prepared in the fields.

3. A manure provides a lot of organic matter like humus to the soil.

Fertilisers-1. A fertiliser is a salt or an

organic compound.

2. Fertilisers are prepared in factories.

3. A fertiliser does not provide any humus to the soil.

IRRIGATION All the crop plants need water for their growth. It is, therefore, necessary to supply water to the crop

plants in the fields, periodically. The process of supplying water to crop plants in the fields

is called irrigation. Irrigation requirements of crops depends upon the nature

of the crop, nature of the soil and season. Sources of irrigation are rivers, canals, wells, tube-wells,

dams (reservoirs), ponds and lakes. Traditional methods of irrigation are:-

1. Moat (Pulley System) 3. Dhekli2. Rahat (Lever System) 4. Chain Pump

Modern methods of irrigation are:- 1. Sprinkler System 2. Drip System

REMOVING THE WEEDS (WEEDING)

The unwanted plants which grow alongwith a cultivated crop are called weeds.

The process of removing weeds from a crop field is called weeding.

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

The various methods of weeding are:- 1. Removal of weeds by pulling them out with hand. 2. Removal of weeds by using a trowel. 3. Destroying the weeds by spraying special chemicals

called weedicides.

HARVESTING

The cutting and gathering of the matured food crop is called harvesting. It is done either by hand using a sickle or by a motorised machine called harvester.

STORAGE OF FOOD GRAINS

The practice or means of keeping grain until it is sold or used is called storage. The large scale storage of food grains is done in gunny bags and in grain silos.

MADE BY-1. Gouri

Gusain(6)2. Gracy Kaur(7)3. Ishita Singh(9)

4. Jemimol Solomon(10)