There are four major factors that affect crop production during the farming process. They are nutrients, water availability, climate, pest and diseases.
Scientific Farming
What is developmental plasticity of plants?
This feature helps the plants to have abundant vegetative growth during rainy season. As a result plants can easily escape drought and grow for a longer period without rain especially desert plants. This is an important survival mechanism in that it enables the large amounts of seed produced in wet years to carry the species through prolonged drought periods.
How to control soil pollution through farming methods ?
Soil pollution can be controlled by reducing the use of pesticides. Cropping techniques should be improved to prevent growth of weeds. Controlled grazing and forest management helps in reducing the pollution. Practice of afforestation and reforestation helps in protecting soil health. Planning of soil binding grasses along banks and slopes prone to rapid erosion.
What are weedicides ?
Weedicides are weed-killing chemicals that are sprayed on fields to eliminate weeds. A dicot weedicide is 22, 44-D (22, 44-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid). Weeds are plants that grow between the rows of crops. Weedicides are chemicals that are sprayed across a field to kill weeds. They will have no impact on crop plants.
How to control pests mechanically?
Pest control can be done mechanically by using light traps and destruction of trapped insects. Ropes are used for dislodging leaf feeding larvae e.g. caseworm and leaf folders. Pheromones are used for mating disruption and mass trapping. Removal and destruction of egg masses, larvae, pupae and adults of insect pests and diseased parts of plants wherever possible. Bird perches are installed in the field for birds to sit and feed on insects and their immature stages.
Why AESA based IPM is better than ETL ?
ETL ( Economic Threshold Level ) uses parameters that are constantly changing for calculation of pest population. Farmers cannot make decisions based only on a pest count. Before they can make the best crop management decisions, they must examine many other characteristics of the crop, as well as their own economic and social circumstances. Natural enemies, plant compensatory abilities, and abiotic variables are not taken into account in ETL-based IPM . While in AESA ( Agro-Ecosystem Analysis ) based IPM emphasis is given to natural enemies, plant compensation ability, abiotic factors and P: D ratio.
What is AESA ?
AESA or Agro-Ecosystem Analysis is the process where farmers learn how to observe the crop, how to analyze the field situation and how to make proper decisions for their crop management. AESA include analysing field situations with regard to pests, defenders, soil conditions, plant health, the influence of climatic factors and their inter-relationship for growing healthy crop. Such a critical analysis of the field situations will help in taking appropriate decision on management practices.
How nutrient management is done in sugarcane ?
In sugarcane farming, nutrient management is critical for optimum crop growth. It is always preferable to determine the amount of nutrients required through soil testing and then enrich the soil accordingly. If this is not possible, NPK can be administered at rates of 275 kg, 63 kg, and 115 kg per hectare using inorganic or organic sources, respectively.
How temperature affects the nutrition uptake of plants?
Increased temperature stress reduces nutrition uptake and subsequent assimilation. Calcium absorption in Maize is lowered when the temperature is raised to 28 degrees Celsius. Rice nutrient absorption is influenced by soil and air temperature. The activity of nitrate reductase decreases at high temperatures.
How climate influences crop ?
Climate is the most crucial determining element in a crop’s fitness for a specific region. The crop’s yield potential is mostly determined by the weather. Climate is responsible for more than half of crop fluctuation. Solar radiation, temperature, and rainfall are the most essential climatic elements that influence crop growth, development, and yield.