Crop

Plants of the same kind that are grown and cultivated as a source of food in a large cultivable land is called a crop.

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Types of Crops

Crops, which are grown in the winter season (from October to March) are called Rabi crops.
The crops, which are sown in the rainy season (from July to October) are called Kharif crops.

Preparation of Soil

• Preparation of soil is the first step in cultivating crops for food production.
• The soil is prepared for sowing the seeds of the crop.
• This is carried out using various processes and tools.

Tilling or Ploughing

The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing and is done by using a plough.

Plough

• A plough is a device that is used by farmers for different purposes, such as adding fertilizers, tilling and loosening the soil.
• It is also used for adding fertilizers to the soil, removing weeds, scraping of soil, etc.
• The ploughshare is the triangular iron strip.
• A ploughshaft is the main part of the plough, which is made using a log of wood.
• The other end of the shaft has a handle.
• The other end is attached to a beam which is placed on the bull’s neck.
• A wooden, traditional plough can be operated by a pair of ox and a man.
• Nowadays, these wooden ploughs are being replaced by iron ploughs.

Hoe

• A hoe is a tool that is used to dig up soil to remove weeds and also loosen up the soil before planting a sapling.

Cultivator

• A cultivator is attached to the tractor and helps in loosening soil.
• Cultivators are used instead of ploughs since they are faster.

Sowing

• Sowing is the process of planting seeds in the soil.
• The seeds are sowed in the soil that is loosened by a cultivator or plough.

 

Quality of the Seeds

• The quality of the seed is an important factor that determines the crop yield.
• The selection of good seeds is done by putting the seeds in water.
• The dead and damaged seeds become hollow and float on water, whereas the good seeds sink.

 

Traditional Tools

• Before the advent of modern agricultural machinery, traditional tools were used by farmers.
• These include ploughs, shovels, scythes and pickaxes.
• The traditional tool used to sow the seeds was like a funnel.
• Once seeds were put into this funnel, they would go into 2-3 tubes having sharp ends.
• The ends will pierce into the soil and place the seeds there.

Seed Drill

• Seed drills are used for sowing with the help of tractors.
• It ensures that seeds are sown uniformly, at a particular depth and are covered by soil after sowing.

Nursery

• A nursery is a place where young plants and trees are grown for planting elsewhere.
• Nursery acts as a repository of saplings.

Germination of Seeds

• Germination of the seed happens when the seed is sown in the land and watered.
• A plant starts to emerge from the seed and starts to grow.

Manure/Fertilizers

• Manures and fertilizers are substances that are added to the soil to increase its fertility.
• Manures are made by decomposition of organic substances, and fertilizers are made of inorganic chemicals.

Disadvantages of Using Fertilizers

• Excessive use of fertiliser can cause pollution.
• It can also change the pH of the soil in certain rare cases.

Leaving the Land Fallow

• When land is left fallow for a certain period of time, the land replenishes its nutrients by itself.
• This land can be used for agriculture again.

Crop Rotation

• Crop rotation ensures that the same crop will not grow continuously and lead to the erosion of soil fertility.
• By growing crops that require different sets of nutrients, we can ensure that soil fertility is restored.