Crop production and management

Crops- When a plant of same kind is cultivated at one place on a large scale is known as crop

Based on seosons which they grow, there are three kinds of crop- Kharif crop, Rabi crop and Zaid crop

• Kharif Crops: The crops which are grown in the rainy season (i.e., from June to September) are called Kharif crops. Paddy, maize, soybean, groundnut, and cotton are Kharif crops.
• Rabi Crops: The crops are grown in the winter season (i.e., from October to March) are called rabi crops. Examples of rabi crops are wheat, gram, pea, mustard, and linseed.
• Zaid Crops (or Summer Crops): The crops grown in the summer season are ( called zaid crops. Moong, muskmelon, watermelon, cucumber, gourd and bitter gourd are examples of zaid crops.

Agricultural practices

• Soil Preparation: It involves loosening and tilling of the soil (i.e., ploughing and watering).
• Sowing: Sowing is the process of putting seeds in the soil.
• Adding Manure and Fertilisers: The substances, which are added to the soil in the form of nutrients to improve the production of the crops and fertility of the soil are called manure and fertilisers.
• Irrigation: Supply of water to crops at appropriate intervals is called irrigation.
• Protection from Weeds: Weeds are the unwanted plants that grow along with the crops. Its removal is a must for the better growth of the crops. These can be controlled by spraying certain chemicals, called weedicides, like 2, 4-D.
• Harvesting: The cutting of the crop after it is mature is called harvesting. Harvesting is done by a machine called 'Combine' or also called harvester
• Storage: If the crop grains are to be kept for a longer time, they should be safe from moisture, insects and rats.

Important agricultural tools:

• Plough: This is used for tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to the crop, removing the weeds, scraping of soil, etc. This implement is made of wood and drawn by a pair of bulls. 
• Hoe: It is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil. 
• Cultivator: Used for ploughing. It is driven by a tractor. Use of cultivator saves labour and time. 
• Seed Drill: Used for sowing with the help of tractors. This tool shows the seeds uniformly at a proper distance and depth. 
• Sickle: Used for manual harvesting. 

Animal husbandry: Animals reared at home or on a farm, have to be provided with proper food, shelter and care, when this is done on a large scale it is called animal husbandry.

Weeds: Some undesirable or unwanted plants may grow naturally along with the crop, such plants are called weeds.

Thank You 

Information extracted from our Sai Study Point websites