In this blog, we are going to learn about crop production and management.

 

What is a crop?

 

All living organisms require energy to perform different functions. They get this energy from food.
We get our food from plants, animals, or both. Therefore people have been growing grains, fruits, vegetables throughout history. In order to provide food for a large population, regular production at a large scale is required.

 

When plants of the same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a �crop�. For example, a crop of wheat means that all the plants grown in a field are of wheat.

 

There are different types of crops:

 

1. Cereals
2. Vegetables
3. Fruits

 

Some crops are grown in the rainy season and some in the winter season. On the basis of the growing season, the cropping pattern can be identified.

 

Cropping patterns

 

Going further into the chapter on crop production and management, now we will learn about cropping patterns. In our country, on the basis of the growing seasons, two broad cropping patterns are identified. They are �

 

� Kharif crops
� Rabi crops

 

Kharif Crops -The crops which are sown in the rainy season is called Kharif crops. In India, the rainy season is generally from June to September and the crops grown are -

 

� paddy
� maize
� soybean
� groundnut
� cotton etc

 

Rabi Crops

 

The crops grown in the winter season are called Rabi crops. In India, their time period is generally from October to March.

 

Examples are:- Wheat, gram, pea, mustard, and linseed. Besides these pulses, vegetables are also grown during summer at many places.

 

Agricultural practices

 

Crop production and management involve many agricultural activities. let's learn about each of them. Cultivation of crops (that is growing a crop) involves several activities undertaken by a farmer over a period of time. They are referred to as agricultural practices.

 

Agricultural activities that help in crop production and management are:-
-Preparation of soil
-Sowing
-Adding manure and fertilizer
-Irrigation
-Protecting Crops from weeds
-Harvesting and storage

 

Preparation of Soil

 

The preparation of the soil is the first step before growing a crop. The Practice to turn the soil and loosen it is called Preparation of soil. This Process is called Tilling or Ploughing. After Ploughing, the field is leveled for sowing and irrigation. The leveling of soil is done with the help of a leveler.

 

The loosened soil helps:-

 

(i) The roots penetrate deep into the soil
(ii) The roots to breathe easily
(iii) In the growth of earthworm and microbes present in the soil which further turns and loosens the soil and adds humus to it
(iv) In bringing the nutrient-rich soil to the top.

 

Tools For Preparation of Soil

 

Preparation of the soil is done by using:-

 

� A Plough
� A Hoe or
� A Cultivator

 

Plows are made of wood or iron. It contains a strong triangular iron strip called Ploughshare. The main part of the plow is a long log of wood which is called a Plough-shaft. There is a handle at one end of the shaft. The other end is attached to a beam that is placed on the bulls� necks. The iron plowshare loosens the soil. Plows may be pulled by Horse or Camel.

 

�Hoe� is a simple tool that is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil. It has a long rod of wood or iron. A strong, broad, and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works as a blade. It is pulled by animals. Nowadays plowing is done by Tractor driven cultivator. The use of a cultivator saves labor and time.

 

Irrigation

 

All living beings need water to live. Water is also important for plants. Plants also require water for their proper growth and development, absorption of minerals and fertilizers, Germination of seeds, as germination can�t take place under dry conditions, and for the transportation of nutrients. Let's dive further into the chapter on "Crop Production and Management", and learn about irrigation.

 

Water also protects the crop from frost and hot air currents. To maintain the moisture of the soil for healthy crop growth, fields have to be watered regularly. The supply of water to crops, at regular intervals, is called Irrigation. Then water is absorbed by the plant�s root. The time and frequency of irrigation varies from:-

 

-Crop to crop
-Soil to soil
-and Season to Season

 

Such as in summer, the evaporation of water from the soil is more, therefore, the frequency of watering is higher.

 

Sources of irrigation are-

 

• Wells
• Tube wells
• Ponds
• Lakes
• Rivers
• Dams and Canals

 

Methods of Irrigation

 

The water available in wells, lakes, and canals is lifted up by different methods, for taking to the fields

 

Various Traditional Methods are;-
-Moat (pulley system)
-chain pump
-dhekli
-And Rahat

 

Cattle and Human labor are used in these methods. These methods are less efficient and take lot of time. Modern methods of irrigation help us to use water economically.

 

The main methods used are:-
-Sprinkler System
-Drip System

 

SPRINKLER SYSTEM- In this system, perpendicular pipes having rotatory nozzles on top are joined to the main pipeline at regular intervals, When water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure, with the help of a pump, it escapes from rotating nozzles, It gets sprinkled on the crops as if it is raining. Therefore it is called a sprinkler system. This system is more useful in uneven land where sufficient water is not available. For eg. sandy soil

 

DRIP SYSTEM- In this system, the waterfalls Drop by Drop directly at the position of the Roots, so it is called a drip system. Water is not wasted in this technique so

 

1. It is a boon in regions where the availability of water is poor.
2. It is best for watering fruit plants, gardens, and trees.

 

Harvesting and storage

 

When a Crop is matured it needs to be cut. The cutting of a crop after it has matured is called Harvesting. In Harvesting, crops are pulled out or cut close to the ground. In our country Harvesting is done manually either by-

 

• using a sickle
• or by a machine called a harvester
• After 3- 4 months of hard work when the crop has matured, the farmers� hearts are filled with joy. Their efforts have bore fruit and they feel relaxed and joyous. They celebrate it with great enthusiasm � special festivals associated with the harvesting season are -
  � Pongal
  � Baisakhi
  � Holi
  � Diwali
  � And Bihu
• After Harvesting, the grain seeds need to be separated from the chaff. The process of separating grain seeds from the chaff is called THRESHING. Threshing is carried out with the help of a machine called "Combine �.
• In �Combine� the Harvester and Thresher are combined together.
  Farmers, with small holdings of land, separate the grains and chaff by Winnowing. It is also used to remove weeds or other pests from stored grain.