Improvement of Food Resources

InAgriculture

Sustainable Agriculture• In simplest terms, sustainable

agriculture is the production of food, fiber, or other plant or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animal welfare.

Types of crops

Cropping seasons

CROPPING SEASONS IN INDIA• CROPPING SEASONS IN INDIA

India has many growing seasons due to prevalence of high temperature through a long period. Different crop seasons are:

•(a) Kharif: Crops are sown at the beginning of the south-west monsoon and harvested at the end of the south-west monsoon.Sowing seasons-May to JulyHarvesting season-September to October Important crops: Jowar, bajra, rice, maize, cotton, groundnut, jute, hemp, sugarcane, tobacco, ete.

(b) Rabi: Crops need relatively cool climate during the period of growth but warm climate during the germination of their seed and maturation.Sowing season-october-DecemberHarvesting season-February-AprilImportant crops: wheat, barley, gram, linseed, mus tard, masoor, pea~ and potatoes.

(c) Zaid: Besides the kharif and rabi crops, there are certain crops which are being raised throughout the year due to artificial irrigation.

Zaid kharif crops are sown in August-September and harvested in December-January.Important crops: rice, jowar, rapeseed, cotton, oilseeds.

Zaid rabi crops are sown in February-March. Harvesting is in April-May.Important crops: watermelon, toris, cucumber, leafy and other vegetables.

Nutrient management• Nutrient management is using crop

nutrients as efficiently as possible to improve productivity while protecting the environment. Nutrients that are not effectively utilized by crops have the potential to leach into groundwater or enter nearby surface waters via overland runoff or subsurface agricultural drainage systems. Too much nitrogen or phosphorus can impair water quality. Therefore, a major principle of crop nutrient management is to prevent the over-application of nutrients. This not only protects water quality but also benefits a farm's bottom line.

• ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

40 Different chemical elements have been identified in plants.

Only 16 chemical elements are essential to plant growth and development.

Non-Mineral essential nutrients Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Hydrogen and Oxygen are

supplied to plants from carbon dioxide and water through photosynthesis

Macro NutrientsPrimary Nutrients• There are three primary nutrients:

Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Secondary Nutrients• There are three secondary nutrients:

Sulfur, Calcium and Magnesium.

Micronutrients• 7 0f the 16 essential plant nutrients that

are required in small amounts.

• They are: Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo) and Chlorine (Cl).

Organic ManureFarm yard Manure

Organic ManureCompost Vermi compost

Green Manure

Chemical fertilizers

Irrigation • Irrigation refers to the process of supply

of water to crops through artificial means.

• Increase in agricultural production and productivity depends, to a large extent, on the availability of water.

• The irrigation system helps the farmers to have less dependency on rain-water for the purpose of agriculture.

Importance of Irrigation• 1. Irrigation maintains moisture in the soil. Moisture is

necessary for the germination of seeds. Seeds do not grow in dry soil. That is why irrigation is done before tilling.

• 2. Irrigation is essential for the growth of the roots of the crop plants. Roots of the plants do not grow well in dry soil.

• 3. Irrigation is necessary for the absorption of mineral nutrients by the plants from the soil. Thus, irrigation is essential for the general growth of the plants.

• 4. Water supplies two essential elements hydrogen and oxygen to the crop.

Types of Irrigation

Irrigation systems• Wells and tube wells• Tanks• Canals• River lift systems• Drip Irrigation• Sprinkler irrigation

Wells and Tube wells

Tank Irrigation

Canal Irrigation

Drip Irrigation • Drip irrigation is one of the methods of

irrigation that saves water and fertilizer. In drip irrigation method, water drips slowly to the roots of the plants either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters. The process is completed in narrow tubes so that water is given directly to the root of the plant. Drip irrigation is also termed as localized irrigation or micro irrigation.

Advantages of Drip IrrigationThe advantages of drip irrigation are as follows • Water is used at maximum level.• As water is applied locally and leaching is reduced, fertilizer/nutrient  loss is

minimized.• Weeds can not absorb water as no water is available for them.• Yield of crops are maximum.• Fertilizers can be used with high efficiency.• Weed are grown in less number.• Operational cost is low.• Soil erosion is not taken place.• Soil infiltration capacity is increased.• Fertilizers and ground water is not mixed.• Seed germination is improved.• We can use recycled water safely.• It is not necessary to level the fields.• We can irrigate water in irregular shaped lands.• Waste of fertilizers are lessen.• Energy cost is reduced as it is operated in lower pressure than other

irrigation methods.

Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation

Disadvantages of drip irrigation are as follows:• Expense specially initial cost is high.• The lifetime of the tubes used in drip irrigation

can be shortened by the sun causing wastage.• May cause clogging if water is not filtered

correctly.• Problems in moisture distribution.• Salinity problem.• Germination problem.• High skills are required.

Sprinkler Irrigation• Sprinkler Irrigation is a method of applying

irrigation water which is similar to rainfall. Water is distributed through a system of pipes usually by pumping. It is then sprayed into the air and irrigated entire soi l surface through spray heads so that it breaks up into small water drops which fall to the ground.

Advantages of Sprinkler Irrigation System

The advantages of sprinkler irrigation system are as follows.

 • Water measurement is easier than surface irrigation

system.• Less interference with cultivation and less land loss.• Higher application efficiency.• High and frequent application can be effectively

accomplished.• Easy mechanization and automation.

Disadvantages of Sprinkler Irrigation System

The disadvantages of sprinkler irrigation are listed below.

• High initial cost.• High operating cost.• Wind drift.• A stable water supply is needed.• Saline water may cause problem.• Water must be free from sand, debris and large

amount of salt.

River Lift Irrigation

Cropping patternsCropping pattern means the proportion of area under various crops at a point of time.

Crop rotation• Crop rotation is the practice of growing

a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.

Crop Protection

crop protection is the science and practice of managing invertebrate pests and vertebrate pests, plant diseases, weeds and other pest organisms that damage agricultural crops.

Types of pests1) Insects• These are important and major pests. Insects cause damage in different ways viz. sucking sap from

plants, biting plant parts, boring in to fruits, twigs and leaves, attacking roots, barks and blossoms etc. The damaging stages of different insect pests are larvae, adults and nymphs.

2) Mites• These are creatures like insect but have soft body and four pairs of legs. These tiny creatures have red or

pale yellow colour. They suck the sap from the plant and attack the crops in huge number.3) Rodents • This group of pest eat away large amount of human food and also damage the crops on large scale. They

are also responsible for heavy loss to stored grains on farms, in warehouses and houses.4) Animals• Animals like Wild Boar, Deer, Elephants, Wild Buffalo, Jackals, Monkeys, Squirrels cause direct damage

to crop plants. They eat away the plants and by and large they waste huge amount of crops.5) Birds• Birds attack the crop plants and eat grains. Crow, Parrots and Sparrows are major among birds that

attack the crops.6) Weeds

7) Fungus

8) Bacteria and Virus

Weeds

Weeds can be defined in a variety of ways: a plant growing where it isn’t wanted, a plant that interferes with farming or grazing, a plant that was not intentionally sown, a plant that is persistent and detrimental to the plants around it

Weeds reduce crop yield by competing for water, light, soil nutrients, and space. In agricultural crops, weeds can reduce crop quality by contaminating the commodity. They can serve as hosts for diseases or provide shelter for insects to overwinter. They may interfere with harvest operations. Also, some weeds produce chemical substances that are toxic to crops, animals or people.

What are weeds?

Insect pests

.

Insects are tricky and cause damage

in different ways .The

damaging stages of different insect

pests are larvae, adults and nymphs

sucking sap from plants

biting plant parts

boring in to fruits, twigs and leaves

attacking roots, barks

and blossoms

etc

Plant Diseases

Bacteria

Virus

Fungi

Tomato wilt disease

Tobacco Mosaic Virus disease

Rust of wheat

Leaf blight disease in rice

Tikka disease in ground nut

Bacterial leaf spot in mango

Citrus canker

Storage of Grains

Granaries

Silos

Factors affecting storage of grain

Physical MethodsDrying, cleaning, aeration etc.

Chemical Methods Pesticides, fumigation, Chemical

dusting, irradiation etc.

Biological Methods By introducing pests and parasites.