Crop production involves several steps including soil preparation through ploughing and tilling, selection and sowing of seeds, improving soil fertility through methods like applying fertilizers and practicing crop rotation, irrigating crops, and controlling weeds and pests that affect crop growth. Proper crop management is essential to optimizing yield.

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Subject: Science
Grade: VIII
Topic: Food Sources and Us
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Warm up
 Have you visited any crop field?
 What kind of work does a farmer do in the fields?
 What should be done in order to have a good crop?
 List the steps in the agricultural process.

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Preparation of soil
 Preparation of soil is the first step before growing of crop.
 It helps to turn the soil and loosen it to allow the roots to
penetrate deep into it.
 The loosening of the soil helps in the growth of several soil
microbes, earthworms etc., which enrich the soil with humus and
other essential nutrients.
 The process of turning and loosening is called ploughing.
 This is done using a plough, hoe and cultivators.
What do you understand by soil preparation?

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Preparation of soil
Ploughing and tilling – traditional and
modern methods
What can be seen in the pictures ?

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Tools used in ploughing and tilling
Can you name a few tools used in ploughing and tilling the soil?
Can explain how each tool is used?

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 A plough is a tool or farm implement used in farming for initial cultivation
of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting to loosen or turn the soil.
 Ploughs were traditionally drawn by working animals such as oxen and
horses, but in modern times are mostly drawn by tractors.
 The process of loosening the soil for cultivation is called ploughing.
 The primary purpose of ploughing is to turn over the upper layer of the
soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, while burying weeds and the
remains of previous crops and allowing them to break down.
Ploughing and tilling – traditional and
modern methods

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 The advantages of ploughing are:
 Loosening of soil can improve air circulation.
 The roots can penetrate deeper into the soil, thus holding the plant
firmly.
 Ploughing enhances the water retention capacity of the soil.
 Ploughing uproots the weeds growing in the field and aids in the
growth of microbes.
Ploughing and tilling – traditional and
modern methods

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During ploughing big pieces of soil are formed called crumbs. These
crumbs need to be broken before sowing the seeds. It is normally
carried out using wooden planks.
Crumb crushing

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 The agricultural field may not be even after ploughing and tilling. The soil is
then levelled using a leveller.
 Levelling of soil before sowing the seeds is important as it helps in uniform
distribution of seeds during sowing.
 It also helps in proper irrigation of the field and prevents loss of moisture from
the field.
 An instrument called leveller or cultivator is used to level the soil. It is a tractor
driven tool that saves time and labour.
Levelling the soil

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For sowing, seed selection depends upon the following factors:
1. We should select whole seeds and broken or crushed seeds
should be avoided.
2. The sowing quality of seeds should be high.
3. They should have high germinating capacity.
4. Seeds should be free from infection.
5. The seeds should not be mixed with seeds of weeds or with other
seeds.
6. Seeds should be disease-resistant.
7. The seeds should be purchased from good shops or should be
supplied by good seed agency (certified seeds).
Selection and sowing of seeds
In India central seeds committee tests gives a
certificate for good quality and purity of seeds. These
seeds are known as certified seeds.

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Broadcasting:
(Traditional methods)
 Wheat, maize and paddy are
sown by this method.
 In this method seeds are
sprinkled or thrown in a
random manner in the
cultivated field.
 This method is common in
agriculturally backward
areas.
Selection and sowing of seeds
What process is being shown in the picture?

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Seed-drilling:
 Sowing of seeds is done in lines
by seed-drill, it is called drilling.
 There are two kinds of seed-
drills—automatic and hand-
operated.
 A seed drill is long metal tube
with fingers and a funnel at the
top where the seeds are fed.
 The drill is attached to the
plough, as the plough makes
furrows in the soil, the seeds are
dropped fairly and equally by the
drill.
Selection and sowing of seeds
What process is being shown in the
picture?

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 Maintaining or increasing soil fertility is one of the most important
things farmers have to do to increase output.
 Doing so, farmers have to know the use of sustainable agricultural
practices and methods for conserving them and making them more
fertile.
 These include fallowing, using compost, manure, crop residues,
intercropping legumes with cereals and including the principles of
conservation agriculture (crop rotation, ensuring permanent cover
for the soil and no disturbing of the top soil layer). Chemical
fertilisers are also used.
 Soils have to be nourished and cared for, and allowed to rest from
time to time.
Improving soil fertility
How can soil fertility be improved?

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Differences

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 Bio fertilisers are organisms that
enrich the nutrient quality of
soil.
 The main sources of bio
fertilisers are bacteria, fungi and
cyanobacteria (blue-green
algae).
 The relationship that these have
with plants is symbiosis, in
which the partners derive
benefits from each other.
Bio Fertilisers What are they?
How are they
beneficial?

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 Keeping the field uncultivated or
unseeded between two
successive crops is another
method of replenishing soil
nutrients. This type of field is
called fallow field.
 Nutrients are regenerated in a
fallow field by decomposition of
the organic matter present in the
soil by various microbes
Fallow Field

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Crop Rotation
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar/different
types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.
Types of Crop Rotation
 One year rotation
 Maize – Mustard
 Rice –Wheat
 Two years rotation
 Maize- Mustard-Sugarcane –
Fenugreek
 Maize- Potato –Sugarcane-Peas
 Three years rotation
 Rice-Wheat –Mung- Mustard –
Sugarcane –Berseem(clover)
 Cotton-Oat-Sugarcane-Peas-Maize-
Wheat

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Crop Rotation - Advantages
 Improve crop yields
 Improve the workability of the soil
 Reduce soil crusting
 Increase water available for plants
 Reduce erosion and sedimentation
 Recycle plant nutrients in the soil
 Provide better distribution of labor during the crop
season by using different crops, planting dates, and
harvest periods
 Reduce fertilizer & insecticide inputs
 More money in your pocket

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Irrigation
What is irrigation?
Why do we need it?

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 Water is a critical input into agriculture.
 India accounts for about only 4% of the world fresh water
resources.
 Distribution of these water resources across the vast expanse of
the country is also uneven.
 The increasing demands on water resources by India’s burgeoning
population and diminishing quality of existing water resources
because of pollution and the additional requirements of serving
India’s spiraling industrial and agricultural growth have led to a
situation where the consumption of water is rapidly increasing
while the supply of fresh water remains more or less constant.
 Water overuse can cause water shortage, often in areas of
irrigation agriculture, and harm the environment in several ways
including increased salinity, nutrient pollution, and the
degradation and loss of flood plains and wetlands.
 Indian agriculture accounts for 90% water use due to fast track
ground water depletion and poor irrigation systems.
Irrigation

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Traditional Irrigation methods

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Modern Irrigation methods
 Is similar to rainfall.
 In this type, water is pumped
using a pipe system and then
sprayed through sprinkler heads.
 With sprinkler irrigation field areas
irrespective of their sizes can be
covered efficiently.
 This method is effective in
irrigating sandy regions and
regions with uneven land which
have an insufficient water supply.
Sprinkler system

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Modern Irrigation methods
 Drip irrigation can be defined as the
method in which water drips slowly
via a pipe system to the roots of the
plants either from above or below
the soil surface.
 It is also known as micro-irrigation
by which both water and soil
nutrients can be saved.
 A set up of valves, tubes, pipes, and
emitters is used for drip irrigation.
 The best part about drip irrigation is
that valves and pumps can be
operated both manually and
automatically with the help of a
controller.
Drip irrigation

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Control of weeds and pests

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Weeds
 The undesirable plants that grow along with the crops are
called weeds.
 These weeds, feed on the nutrients provided to the crops and
thus reduce the supply of nutrients to the crops, thereby,
hindering their growth.
 The growth of these weeds needs to be limited in order to
enhance the growth of the plants.
Weeding
 The process of removal of weeds is called weeding.
 To obtain this, weedicides are employed, which are essentially
chemicals specifically made to destroy weeds.
 They are regularly sprayed before seeding and flowering.
Weeds and Weeding

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Application of pesticides and
weedicides
Weeding
Weeding methods

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Some important weeding methods are listed below:
 Weeds can be controlled using weedicides. It is a chemical, which
is sprayed in the fields to kill all available weeds. Weedicides are not
harmful to crops.
 Tilling before sowing of crops also helps in removing weeds. Tilling
uproots the weeds. The best time for the removal of weeds is
before they produce flowers and seeds.
 Manual method is walking the field and pulling out the weeds. The
manual method of removing weeds is with the help of a khurpi. It
involves regular uprooting or cutting of weeds close to the ground.
 By mechanical means using a trowel through the field that will fill
up the space between the crop rows and cut/kill the weeds.
Weeding methods

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A pest is an organism living and growing where they are not wanted
and can cause damage to plants, humans, structures, and other
creatures, including crops that are grown for food.
Pests
 These insects are called pests and can be controlled by spraying
chemicals called pesticides.
 Pesticides destroy pests without harming the crop plant.
 DDT was the commonly used pesticide until it was banned due
to its harmful effects on humans.

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Harvesting, threshing, winnowing and storage
Threshing
Harvesting
Winnowing
Storage

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Threshing:
 The process of separating the grains or seed from the ears in case of cereal
crops or pod in case of oilseed and pulse crops is called ‘Threshing’.
 The process of threshing helps to make the clean produce for the use in
future.
Winnowing:
 Threshing is followed by winnowing.
 Winnowing is the method of separating grain or seed from chaff.
Drying:
 The seeds or grains contain moisture.
 The content of moisture above permissible limit hampers the storage life
of grains or seeds.
 The moisture content of grains or seeds of crops at the time of harvesting
is about 18-20 percent.
 The seeds or grains should be dried in sun.
Threshing, winnowing and drying

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Storage:
 The agricultural produce must be stored properly for the continuous supply
and consumption as well as to get the higher market price.
 Because the market price is generally remains low at harvesting time.
Generally the food grains, oilseeds, pulse crops etc., are stored for future use.
Storage
Following measures should be taken while storing grains:
 The storing place of grains should be free from pests and insects. If not
then the place has to be fumigated. Fumigation is a process in which
fumes of certain chemicals are released to kill pests and insects.
 The storing place of grains is well ventilated and airy.
 The grains should be inspected at regular intervals to check their
condition.
 Dried neem leaves can be used to protect the grains from insects and
pests.
 Fruit and vegetables should be stored in cold storage as they have a high
moisture content.

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Questions – Quick review
List the agricultural practices used in India.
What are the steps in soil preparation? Why is it important?
What is soil fertility?
Why do we need to improve the soil fertility?
Why do we need to use fertilisers?
What are bio fertilisers?
What is fallow?
What is crop rotation?
What methods are used for irrigation?
What are weeds and pests?
List the methods to control weeds and pests.
List the steps in harvesting the crop.
How should the grains be stored?

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1. Watering the crops is called:
(a) sowing (b) manuring
(c) tilling (d) irrigation
2. Weeds are the:
(a) main crop plants(b) insects and pests
(c) unwanted plants growing along the crop
(d) chemical substances
3. Combines are used for:
(a) sowing of seeds (b) harvesting the crops
(c) threshing (d) harvesting and threshing both.
4. Separating grains from chaff is called:
(a) winnowing (b) threshing
(c) fallow (d) harvesting.
QUIZ

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5. Weedicides are used to destroy:
(a) insects (b) weeds
(c) pests (d) none of these.
6. 2-4D is a
(a) Pesticides (b) Insecticides
(c) Fungicides (d) Weedicides.
7. Seed drill is used to
(a) sow the seeds (b) remove the weeds
(c) remove the pest (d) mix manure in the soil.
QUIZ