🌾 Blog: – Classification of Crops, Tillage, and Soil Tilth
📘 : CLASSIFICATION OF CROPS
1. According to Life Cycle
- Annual Crops: These crops complete their life cycle within one season or one year.
Examples: Wheat, Rice, Maize - Biennial Crops: These crops complete their lifecycle in two years.
Examples: Sugar beet, Carrot - Perennial Crops: These crops live for more than two years.
Examples: Sugarcane, Napier grass
2. According to Seasons
- Kharif Crops: Grown in monsoon season (June to October) Mostly in June.
Examples: Rice, Maize, Sorghum, Cotton - Rabi Crops: Grown in winter season (October to March) Mostly in October.
Examples: Wheat, Barley, Mustard, Pea - Zaid Crops(Summer): Grown in summer season (March to June) mostly in Summer.
Examples: Watermelon, Cucumber, Fodder crops
3. According to Place of Origin
- Native Crops: Origin from India.
Examples: Rice, Black gram, Green gram - Exotic Crops: Originated in other countries.
Examples: Potato, Tomato, Maize
4. According to Economic Importance
- Cereal Crops – Rice, Wheat, Maize
- Pulse Crops – Bengal gram, Green gram, Black gram
- Oilseed Crops – Groundnut, Mustard, Sunflower
- Fibre Crops – Cotton, Jute, Mesta
- Sugar Crops – Sugarcane, Sugar beet
- Forage Crops – Napier, Lucerne, Berseem
5. According to Cultural Requirement
- Wetland Crops – Crops Require standing water. (e.g. Paddy)
- Dryland Crops – Crops Grown in dry areas. (e.g. Millets, Pulses)
- Irrigated Crops – Crops Grown with assured irrigation. (e.g. Sugarcane, Wheat)
- Sown Crops – Crops Sown directly in the field. (e.g. Maize, Cotton)
- Transplanted Crops – Crops Raised in nurseries and then transplanted. (e.g. Rice, Tomato)
- Rainfed Crops – Crops Grown only with rainfall. (e.g. Sorghum, Bajra)
📘: TILLAGE
Definition
Tillage is the mechanical manipulation of soil to provide a favourable condition for crop production and seed germination.
Objectives of Tillage
- Improve soil physical condition
- Control weeds
- Incorporate residues and fertilizers
- Facilitate water entry and reduce erosion
- Destroy pests and disease organisms
Types of Tillage
- Primary Tillage: First major soil working. (e.g. Ploughing)
- Secondary Tillage: Done after primary tillage for seedbed preparation. (e.g. Harrowing)
- Inter Tillage: Tillage between crop rows
- Off-season Tillage: Done during fallow periods
- Zero Tillage: No tillage; seeds sown directly
Modern Concepts in Tillage
- Minimum Tillage: Fewer operations, saves time and cost
- Strip Tillage: Only row zones are tilled
- Ridge Tillage: Permanent ridges maintained for crops
📘: SOIL TILTH
Definition
Tilth is the physical condition of soil after tillage.
Characteristics of Good Tilth
- Good soil structure
- Optimum moisture content
- Adequate aeration
- Firm seedbed
- Free from clods
Factors Affecting Tilth
- Soil texture and structure
- Moisture content
- Organic matter
- Implements used
Soil Structure
-
Definition: Arrangement of soil particles into aggregates forms
-
Types:
- Granular
- Blocky
- Platy
- Prismatic
-
Importance: Good structure ensures:
- Better aeration
- Efficient water movement
- Strong root penetration