Productivity

Soil

The soils in which crops are grown, water which is the life of the plant. The physical properties for the plant growth and gives mechanical support to plants. Supply nutrition to plants and hence soil does not merely give mechanical support but also food to the plants. Every soil has its natural fertility which differs from soil to soil and it can now be supplemented by adding chemical fertilisers in desired quantities.

Water

Water is the life of plant and must be supplied in proper quantity. Too much water may suffocate the plant roots and too little may not be able to sustain the plant. Methods of supplementing rain water by irrigation should also be known properly for obtaining bumper crops.

Plant

The soil and water are two variables which either have to be suitably adjusted for the plant to grow or the plant should be so bred and selected that it will adjust to a given soil and water condition. Crop like sugarcane takes a whole year to mature and fruit trees live over a number of years and need irrigation besides rain water. On the basis of the life of a crop, it is known as seasonal, two seasonal, annual or perennial. Thus there are a variety of crops and plant breeders are constantly at work to evolve varieties which will suit the given soil and water conditions e.g., those which may stand drought condition, those which will absorb more nutrients and convert them into food giving bumper yields, varieties which will be resistant to diseases etc. It is an absorbing study, which must be made.

• Understanding the soil fertility and water management systems developed over years.
• Change in the ecosystem forest coverage, livestock holding pattern and lifestyle in rural areas.
• Increase in agricultural by products and domestic garbage, which can be used for composting.
• Adaptation of dairy farming with high-yielding cattle and buffaloes, stall feeding and installation of biogas plants can generate significant quantity of farmyard manure.
• The soil productivity can be further enhanced through soil and water conservation, improved drainage, contour bunding and establishment of live hedges.
• Application of organic manure and bio-fertilisers, adaptation of tree-based farming.
• Integrated pest management can be promoted to boost the yields.
• Replacement of local seeds with certified seeds, change of crops, use of improved farm implements, mineral nutrients, plant protection measures and installation of irrigation system are some of the new initiatives to further enhance the crop yields.
• Post harvest processing, storage and marketing are other areas where both small and large holders have been incurring heavy losses. Introduction of modern technologies and infrastructure development.

Ag.
Technologies
(Crop
Husbandry)