CROP PRODUCTION &

MANAGEMENT
Class- 8th

BIOLOGY FACULTY

Monika Sisodia

AICE
AGRICULTURE
 Agriculture
Agriculture

The practice or the art of cultivating land is called agriculture.

Food:

It is a nutritious substance
that people or animals
obtain from plants or other
animals to maintain life
and growth.
Crop Crop

The cultivation of similar plants together at a place in large

quantities is called a crop.

Crops

Rabi Zaid Kharif

Winter crop, grown Dry season crop, grown Rainy season crop, grown
from October-March from March-june from June-September
E.g., wheat, pea, mustard. E.g., watermelon, E.g., maize, paddy, cotton.
cucumber, gourds.
 Agricultural
Agricultural PracticesPractices

1. Preparation of soil/seed 2. Sowing of crop seeds.

bed.

3. Addition of manure and 4. Irrigation of the fields.

fertilizer.
 Agricultural
Agricultural PracticesPractices

5. Protection from weeds 6. Harvesting

7. Storage
 1. Soil Preparation
1. Soil Preparation

Utility of soil preparation:

v Loosening of soil particles.

v Easy gaseous exchange for the plant roots.

v Allows the growth of microbes and earthworm.

v Facilitates the decomposition of organic matter.

 Ways
Ways of Soil of Soil Preparation
Preparation

Soil is prepared for crop production by :

v Tilling or ploughing the field.

 If the soil is very dry , it may need watering before ploughing.

v Removal or uprooting the weeds.

v Breaking crumbs and levelling of soil.
Agricultural
Agricultural
implements
implements

The various means of soil preparation can be done through

v Plough v Hoe v Cultivator

Plough Plough

 This is an implement made of a long log of wood (plough

shaft), fitted with a triangular iron strip (ploughshare).
 Drawn by a pair of bulls or other animals (camels or horses).

Plough shaft

Ploughshare

 Iron plough have replaced the wooden plough now-a-days.

Hoe Hoe

 Unlike the plough, a broad, bent plate of iron is used instead

of a ploughshare.

 It is a tool used for the removal of weeds and to loosen the

soil.
Cultivator
Cultivator

 Modern tool.

 Drawn by tractors.

Advantages of Cultivator -

 It is much more efficient than a plough or a hoe.

 It saves labor.

 It saves time.
Do It Now!

1. Why paddy cannot be grown in winter season?

2. Why does the loosening of soil allow the plant roots to

breathe easily?

3. Why are earthworms called ‘farmers’ friend’ ?

4. Define ploughing or tilling.

5. What are the advantages of using cultivator?

2. Sowing
2. Sowing
It is an important activity. The seeds used should be healthy
and of good variety to achieve high yield.
 Selection of seeds
 Seeds can be checked by putting in water.

 The ones which are healthier, sink to the bottom.

 The damaged seeds float, as they are hollow and lighter.

Damaged seeds

Healthy seeds
Transplantation
Transplantation

 Transplantation is the process of moving a fully germinated

seedling (or mature plant) and replanting it in a permanent
location for the growing season.
E.g. – Paddy, tomato, onions, garlic, cabbage etc.

 Nursery is a place where seedlings, cuttings and grafts are

raised with care before transplanting.
Tools used
Tools
for Sowing
used for Sowing

 Traditional tool:
 It’s a funnel shaped tool.

 Seeds are filled into the funnel, passed down through two or
three pipes having sharp ends.
 These ends pierce into the soil and place the seeds there.
Tools used
Tools
for used
Sowing
for Sowing
 Modern tool: Seed drill

 It is drawn by a tractor.
 A seed drill is used for sowing seed uniformly at proper
distances and proper depths.
 Sowing seeds at proper depth protect them from birds and
proper distance prevents overcrowding of plants.
 Also ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing.
Do It Now!

1. How can we separate healthy seeds from unhealthy for

sowing?

2. Why seeds should be sown at proper depth and distances?

3. How prevention of overcrowding of plants benefits them?

4. Name one traditional and one modern tool for sowing seeds.

5. What are the advantages of using a seed drill?

3. Adding3.Manure
Addingand
Manure
fertilizers
and fertilizers

The substances which are added to the soil in the form of nutrients
for the healthy growth of plants are called manure and fertilisers.

Manuring : The processes of adding manure to the fields to replenish

the soil with nutrients.

Manure
 It is an organic substance obtained by the natural
decomposition of organic matter of plants and animals waste.

 Micro-organisms help to make manure. For example: bacteria

and fungi (decomposers).
Fertilizers
Fertilizers
Fertilizers
 These are chemicals made in factories. They are rich in a
particular nutrient/nutrients required by the plants.

 Example: Urea, potash, NPK (Nitrogen Phosphorus

Potassium) etc.

Disadvantages of using fertilizers:

 Excessive use reduces soil fertility.

 Source of water pollution.
Soil fertility
Soil fertility
Practices that should be done by the farmers to retain the fertility
of the soil :
1) Substitute fertilizer with organic manure.

2) Field fallow – leaving the field uncultivated between two crops.

3) Crop Rotation – growing different crops alternatively.
e.g.- growing legumes in one season and cereal crop
in the next season
Rhizobium bacteria present in root nodules of leguminous plants
(e.g.- pulses ) replenish the soil with nitrogen by fixing atmospheric
nitrogen.
Differences
Differences
between between
FertilizerFertilizer
and Manureand Manure

Manure Fertiliser
It is a natural/organic material It is an inorganic man-made
formed by the decomposition of material.
cattle dung, vegetable wastes or
plant matter, etc.
Provides a lot of humus of the Doesn’t provide any humus
soil. to the soil.
It can be prepared in the field. It is made in the factories.

The nutrient content is less in It is rich in nutrients like NPK

manure as compared to (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and
fertilizers. Potassium).

It is eco-friendly It is not eco-friendly

4. Irrigation
4. Irrigation

 Irrigation is providing water to the crops at regular intervals.

 The time and frequency of irrigation varies from crop to crop,

soil to soil and season to season.

Importance of water for crops

i) Germination of seeds occurs in presence of water.

ii) Absorption of minerals and fertilizers by roots along with water.

iii) Water protects the crop from both frost and hot air currents.
Sources Sources
of Irrigation
of Irrigation
The different sources of irrigation are -

v Rain  Ponds &

lakes

v Rivers v Canals

v Wells v Tube wells

Methods Methods of Irrigation
of Irrigation

Traditional methods

Moat Chain pump Dhekli Rahat

(pulley system)

Modern methods

Sprinkler system Drip system

Traditional
Traditional
Methodsmethods
of Irrigation
of irrigation
1) Dhekli :

In this system a rope and bucket connected to pole to obtain

water from well. They connect rope and bucket on one end of
a heavy stick and a heavy counter weight at the other end.

2) Rahat :

In this method water is drawn out of wells by animals. Animals

like cow, buffalo, oxen etc. are connected to wheel. Animals
move and rotate the wheel lead to draw the water from the
well.
Traditional
Traditional
Methodsmethods
of Irrigation
of irrigation
v Chain Pump: A chain pump consists of two large wheels,
v connected
Moat: Moatbyor an endless chain.
pulley-system is a The bottom
manual wheelmethod.
irrigation is half
immersed in thewater
By this method waterissource.
directlyAs the out
taken wheel
of is turned,
wells with the
the
connected buckets
help of pulley and isdip into
used the poolfields.
to irrigate and pick up water. The
chain then lifts them to the upper wheel, where the water from
the buckets is transferred to the pool. The chain then carries
the empty buckets back down to be refilled and the process
continues.
Modern Methods
Modern methods
of Irrigation
of irrigation
1) Drip system
There is network of narrow pipes with small holes in the fields.
When water flows through the narrow pipes, it fall drop by drop at
the position of roots of the plants.

Advantages :

1. It provides water to plants drop by drop. So water is not wasted

at all.

2. It is useful in those regions where the availability of water is poor.

3. It is best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees.

Modern Methods
Modern methods
of Irrigation
of irrigation

2) Sprinkler system
A main pipeline is laid in the field. Perpendicular pipes having
rotating nozzles at the top are joined to the main pipelines at
regular intervals. When water from a tube-well is allowed to flow
through the main pipelines under pressure with the help of a
pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles. This water gets
sprinkled on the crop plants as if it is raining.
Advantages
1. It is more useful for the uneven land where sufficient water is
not available.
2. It is very useful for sandy soil.

3. Wastage of water is reduced.

Do It Now!

1. Mention the importance of soil for plants ?

2. Why do farmers have to add manures and fertilizers in their

crop fields?

3. List the advantages of manures over fertilizers?

4. During which season frequency of irrigation should be

higher ? Give reason.

5. Mention the advantages of modern irrigation techniques.

YOUTUBE LINK

https://youtu.be/FNn5DB1Zen4
Modern Technology Agricultural machines

https://youtu.be/xIe2EjQNols
Sowing
5. Protection
5. Protection
from Weeds
from Weeds

 The growth of unwanted plants, along with the crop are

called weeds .
 For example: Amaranth, Chinopodium, Parthenium etc .

 They compete with the main crop for space, sunlight, water
and nutrients and reduce the crop yield .

 Interfere in harvesting and may be poisonous for animals

and humans.
Control of
Control
Weedsof Weeds

 The process of removal of weed is Weeding.

They can be controlled by :

v by tilling the field before sowing.

v manually removing them by a ‘khurpi’.

v applying chemicals like 2,4-D (weedicides).

Nose and mouth must be covered while spraying weedicides.

Khurpi

Weedicides
6. Harvesting
6. Harvesting

 The mature crops are cut by a process called harvesting.

 It can be done manually by using a sickle.

 Now-a-days it is done by a machine called harvester.

sickle

Harvester
Harvesting
Harvesting
FestivalsFestivals

 A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around

the time of the main harvest of a given region.
 For example: Baisakhi, Pongal and Bihu.

 The harvesting period is the time for the farmers for

enjoyment.
 Harvest festivals are celebrated throughout the country.

Baisakhi Pongal Bihu

Threshing
Threshing
& Winnowing
and Winnowing

 Threshing: is the process of

separating the grain from the
straw.
 It is done by a thresher.
 Winnowing: The process of
separation of grains from husk and
hay (chaff) with the help of wind is
called winnowing.
CombineCombine

Harvesting, threshing and winnowing can be performed,

together by using a machine called combine.
7. Storage
7. Storage

 After harvesting the crops, it is important to store the grains

properly.
 The major challenges in storing the grains is their spoilage
due to moisture, insects, rats and micro-organisms.
 Farmers store grains in jute bags and metallic bins.

 The grains are stored in silos or granaries in large scale.

Silos Granaries
Protection
Protection
of StoredofGrains
Stored Grains

v The grains should be dried in the sun before storing.

v The grains can be mixed with chemicals in prescribed

quantities.

v In household storage, dried neem leaves can be put among

the grains.

v The grains should be stored for certain periods for later use.
Animal Husbandry
Animal Husbandry
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with
farm animals that are raised for their meat, fibre, milk, eggs or
other products.

 Cattle Farming: It involves rearing and management of two

types of animals- one group for food requirements like milk
and another for labor purposes like plowing, irrigation, etc.
 Animal Husbandry
Animal Husbandry

 Poultry Farming: It is the rearing and management of fowls

for egg and meat production.

 Apiculture: The technique of rearing honey bees on the

commercial level to obtain honey and beeswax is called
apiculture.
 Pisciculture: The rearing of fish on a large scale for the
production of meat is known as pisciculture.

Fish Cod liver oil Rich in Vitamin D

Do It Now!

1. What are weeds and how do they affect the crop yield ?

2. Do weedicides have any side effect on the person handling

it?

3. What does combine do?

4. Name some crop harvesting festivals of India ?

5. Why it is necessary to expose seeds in sunlight before

storage?