Crop Production and Management

Introduction

Crops are defined as plants grown on a large scale. In India, crops can be broadly categorised into two types based on seasons: Kharif crops and Rabi crops.

• Kharif crops are planted during the rainy season (June to September). For example, paddy, maize, soya bean, groundnut, and cotton

• Rabi Crops: Rabi crops are grown in the winter season (October to March). Wheat, gram, pea, mustard, and linseed are a few examples

Crop production is concerned with growing crops for use as fibre and food, while crop management involves a group of agricultural practises used to improve the growth, development, and yield of crops. 

Crop Production Fundamentals

Crop Cultivation requires several activities which are carried by the farmers over a certain period. These agricultural activities are mentioned below –

• Preparation of soil

• Sowing

• Adding manure and fertilizer

• Irrigation

• Defending against weeds

• Harvesting

• Storage

Preparation of soil

• The first step in crop production is the preparation of the soil, which begins with ploughing. The process of loosening and turning the soil is called tilling or ploughing. This is the first step before planting a crop and is done by using a plough. The purpose is to turn and loosen the soil

• Roots can penetrate deep into the loose soil

• Roots can breathe easily, even when they go deep into the soil

• It also allows the growth of earthworms and microbes (friends of the farmers) present in the soil

• This helps in circulation of soil keeping the earth fresh for plant growth

• A ploughed soil surface is then made even using the leveller. This is known as levelling. It is beneficial for sowing as well as for irrigation

Agricultural Implements

• The main tools or agricultural implements used in crop production are the plough, hoe, and cultivator
• Plough: The tool has been created since the ages to till the soil, adding fertilizers, removing weeds and turning the soil
• A hoe is a simple tool that is used for removing weeds and loosening the soil
• Cultivator: Nowadays, ploughing is done by tractor-driven cultivators, which saves both labour and time.

Sowing

• It is the process of planting seeds in the ground. Before sowing, good quality, clean, and healthy seeds of a high yielding type are chosen.
• Selection of seeds: damaged seeds become hollow, lighter, and float on water. This method is done to separate quality seeds with the damaged ones. 
• Tools: The tool traditionally used for sowing seeds is shaped like a funnel. Nowadays, tractors are used to sow seeds with the help of seed drills. The following are the advantages of seed drilling:
• It sows the seeds uniformly at an equal distance and depth.

• It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing, which protects them from being eaten by birds.

• It saves time and labour.

Adding Manure and Fertilizers

Fertilisers and manure are added to the soil to prevent bug or insect infestation as well as for general care of the crop.

• Manure is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or animal wastes by the process called vermicomposting. The addition of manure to the field is called manuring. 
• Fertilizers are chemicals that are rich in a particular nutrient. A few instances of manures are urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, and NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).

Advantages of Manure

Natural compost is viewed as better compared to other composts because:

• Water holding capacity increases by the manure
• It makes the dirt permeable because of the trade of gases that becomes easy
• It increases the number of well-disposed microbes
• It works on the surface of the dirt.

Fertilizer Disadvantages:

• Excessive fertilizer use depletes the soil’s fertility
• Fertilizers have become a source of contamination in bodies of water.

Other methods of nutrient replenishment include

• Between two crops, leave the field uncultivated (fallow)

• Use of crop rotation by growing different crops alternately. For example, growing legumes as fodder in one season and wheat in the next season. Atmospheric nitrogen can be fixed by Rhizobium bacteria present in the nodules of the roots of leguminous plants.

Irrigation

Irrigation is the process of providing crops with water at regular intervals. The timing and frequency of irrigation varied from crop to crop, soil to soil, and season to season.

The importance of irrigation water:

• It helps in dissolving the minerals and fertilisers which are absorbed by the plant roots.

• essential for the germination of seeds.

• act as a carrier of nutrients in the plant.

• It protects the crop from both frost and hot air currents.

• Keep the moisture in the soil for healthy crop growth.

Sources of irrigation

Wells, tube wells,  lakes, ponds, rivers, canals and dams are all sources of irrigation water.

The water available in wells, lakes, and canals is lifted by different methods for taking it to the fields by the use of cattle or human labour. These methods are cheaper but less efficient. Traditional methods include moat (pulley system),  Dhekli, chain pump, and Rahat (lever system). Nowadays, pumps operated by diesel, biogas, electricity, and solar energy are commonly used for lifting water.

Modern Methods of Irrigation: Modern methods of irrigation help us use water economically. The main methods used are as follows:

• Sprinkler System: At regular intervals, the perpendicular pipes with rotating nozzles on top are connected to the main pipeline. Water escapes from the rotating nozzles when it flows under pressure via the main pipe with the help of a pump. It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it were raining. A sprinkler is very useful for lawns, coffee plantations, and several other crops. This system is more useful on uneven land.
• Drip system: Waterfalls drop by drop directly near the roots with this system. As a result, it is known as a drip system. It is the most effective method for watering fruit trees, gardens, and other vegetation.

Protection from Weeds

Weeds are undesirable crops which are grown along with the crops.  The removal of weeds is called weeding. The best time for weeding is before crops plants produce flowers and seeds.

Disadvantages of weeds

• Weeds compete for water, nutrients, space, and light with the crop
• Weeds can obstruct harvesting and are harmful to both animals and humans.

Weed management: It involves ways to remove weeds and control their growth.

• Tilling before planting crops aids in the uprooting and death of weeds
• The physical removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting with a khurpi is included in the manual removal
• Weeds can also be removed with a seed drill
• Weeds are also managed by the use of specific chemicals known as weedicides, such as 2,4-D. These are sprayed on the weeds in the fields
• Weedicides are applied to weeds during their vegetative growth, prior to flowering and seed generation
• Weedicide spraying may be harmful to farmers’ health. As a result, it should be done cautiously, with the nose and mouth covered with a cloth.

Harvesting

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

• Harvesting is done either manually with a sickle or mechanically with a harvester
• The grain seeds must be separated from the chaff in the harvested crop. This process is called threshing
• Threshing is carried out with the help of a machine called ‘combine’ which is in a harvester as well as a thresher
• Farmers with small landholdings do the separation of grain and chaff by winnowing
• After harvesting, sometimes stubs are left in the field, which is burnt by farmers and causes air pollution.

Storage

Grain storage must be done properly to keep pests and microbes at bay. Harvested grains have more moisture so before storage, they are properly dried in the Sun to reduce their moisture content.

Various methods of Storage:

• Grain is stored in jute bags or iron bins by farmers
• Grain is stored in silos and granaries on a large scale to protect it from pests such as rodents and insects
• Dried neem leaves are used for storing food grains at home.

Conclusion

Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and crop management is an essential process to provide quality storage to reduce food wastage and increase farmers’ income. A systematic and technological approach can help in crop production and management