Agricultural practice:

Crop selection: – what we are going to grow. This would also include the seed selection, quantity
required, preparation of seed for sowing, etc.

Land Preparation – type of land, state of land, properties of land, any modifications or augmentation to
fertility of land required, etc. before we start on this activity.

Sowing of seed in the prepared land and the methods of sowing farmer would require adopting.

Irrigation and fertilization – availability, timing, quantum.

Maintenance at different stages of crop growth – defense against onset of any pests, virus.

Harvesting – again methods of harvesting, labor, machine hours and stocking of produce to marketing of
same.

Land preparation:

Land preparation or call it cultivation and crop growing are to be considered as one entity. Good land
preparation enables good crops. Since mankind discovered agriculture, farmers have been carrying out
land preparation. The basic has always been to break the earth for the depth required by a seed to
establish itself.

Presently, almost everywhere in the world, farmers employ powered mechanical means e.g. tractors for
tilling operations, though manual and animal tillage is also practiced in some parts due to local
conditions. The tractors themselves come in different shapes and sizes.

Method of land preparation –

Tillage Practices:

Ploughing – this is first pass of the tractor or manual effort over the soil to cut, break and invert the soil.
Organic manures and full dose of phosphates are mixed with soil at this stage.

Harrowing – is the second step in tillage done to a shallow depth for smoothing and pulverizing the soil.
Here weeds would be drawn out of soil and also mix fertilizers with the soil. This step would also bring
soil moisture up.

Leveling is the third step for improvement in value of land and to make arrangement for application of
water, uniform moisture over the soil, etc.

A question arises what sort of tillage is required by the crop. Is it deep tillage, a shallow tillage, tillage
with earlier crop residue still in the earth?
Tillage is required to be done as it:

Gives a roll over to land and thus makes it softer for seeding of crops. Soil becomes less compacted and
this will allow better rooting.

Allows sun rays and air to the ground which makes soil healthier and also some virus is killed.

Uproot all weeds and old crop residues.

Irrigation water can easily go deeper.

Leveling and planning of the land.

Tillage is costly and more so if done manually.

There are alternatives to full conservative tillage procedure. And it depends on the farmer, the crop, the
land and cost of resources. The alternatives are minimum tillage and zero tillage.

Minimum tillage:

Here only one pass of the tillage is done and residue etc. is left on the soil. The seeding is done through
this mulch of residue. The benefit of mulch is greater water retention and it acts as a weedicide also.

Conservation with Zero or no tillage:

Here only a narrow furrow wide and deep enough for seeds to be sown is made and the rest of the land
is left as it is. There is permanent layer of mulch from crop residue and organic manures or green crops
on the surface of the earth. The motto here is to have optimum production with sustainable growth.
Mulch cover provides many benefits to the ground surface like it will prevent compaction of the soil,
decrease virus and diseases of the plants, and not allow weeds to grow. The cost of land preparation is
much less than in conventional tillage. Best benefit is that there is no burning of the crop residue which
is highly detrimental to the environment and also harms the soil content as well friendly bacteria in the
field.

In time this practice creates an Eco-system of its own so that diseases and pests are minimized. This
conservation tillage also allows combining the seeding and fertilizer placing process so less seed, less
fertilizer, less time, less cost, less labor is realizable.

However, as stressed above, farmer needs to assess the particular tilling method depending on his own
circumstances.

Planting of seeds:

Use of good quality seeds is of essence.

Treat with chemicals so as to assist in easy germination.

Moisture in land tilled by any method is a must; also compaction of the earth around seed ensures seed
gets the required moisture.

Seeding must be done evenly and to the required density for that particular crop. Over seeding does not
produce a good crop. Zero and conservative tillage require the least seeds.

Weed control is to be done to prevent the weeds getting into the fertilizer and water meant for seeds.
Weed control chemicals need to be applied soon after seeding of the crop.

Application of DAP di-ammonium-phosphate just below the seed is to be done. Other fertilizer like urea
and some potassium should also be spread beforehand and watered.

Another method of weed control using zero tilling and/or conservation tilling is to first make a false
furrow in the ground. This will make weeds grow. Now apply chemicals to kill weeds. After this re-furrow
and plant seeds.

Crop growth and fertilization:

After the seeds have sprouted, monitoring is needed of the moisture content in the soil so as to prevent
any water stress in the plants. Once water stressed, plants become highly unproductive. Fertilizers need
to be applied as per the need of the crop. A good rule is to apply urea in three equal parts i.e. in the
beginning of seeding and twice thereafter after the crop is growing. Phosphates are given once in the
beginning. Potash may be required at later stages. Farmer would need to consult the advisory on crop
basis.

Harvesting, Storage and Marketing:

It is the end of the labors of the farmer and to realize the worth of his crop. Mechanical and manual
methods to harvest are utilized depending on the resources at the command of the farmer and from
country to country and place to place. Marketing is normally done through a central government or
private agency.

https://youtu.be/8ulpy_GFLDk

Class 8: (Additional information for topic 6 b & c)

Difference between food crops and commercial crops:

Particulars Food crop Cash crop

Another name Subsistent crop Commercial crop
Definition Use for consumption. Use selling at local or
international market.
Surplus crops.
Value added Less high
GDP Less high
Examples Rice wheat pulses oilseeds Jute Sugarcane and Tea
Food Crops:

Natural Inputs for food crops:

Rice:
1) Flat low-lying floodplains 2) Alluvial soil from the flooding of rivers, which are water retaining
3) Temperature ranging from 16 to 27’C 4) Required heavy rainfall 1000 mm to 3000 mm.

https://youtu.be/kxAEiHCErSA

Types of Rice seeds Plantation Harvesting Favorable condition

1. Aman August December 1. waterlogged area
2. 180 cm
3. medium to low land
2. Aus April July 1. 90 cm flooded land.
2. High to medium land
3. Boro (HYV seeds) December May/June 1. poorly drained soil
2. irrigation

Wheat:
1) Dry weather 2) Bright sunlight 3) Well distributed rainfall between 400mm to 1100mm
4) Often planted in crop rotation with rice.

Industrial Processes:

Wheat:

1) After the wheat is fully grown up, it undergoes reaping. Farmers reap the wheat of its kennels after
the kennels have a rich golden-brown color.
2) After reaping, the wheat kennels are made free of dust or straws by cleaning.
3) The millers then crack and grind the wheat into flour with steel rollers. The rollers flatten the wheat,
and sifters are used to get rid of the wheat germ.
4) Finally, the flour is bleached and enrich with vitamin B and iron supplements.

https://youtu.be/y8vLjPctrcU

Rice:
1) Rice in its basic form is known as rough rice, because it is still covered by a non- edible hull or husk.
2) After harvesting, the crop is taken to the mill.
3) At a mill, rough rice is processed through sorting machines that clean the kennel and remove dirt and
dust.
4) The kennels are then removed by sorting machines which ‘crack’ open the husk, to give out white
rice.
5) Due to the most nutritious layers of the rice being removed, it is sometimes enriched to restore the
original levels of thiamin, niacin and iron.

https://youtu.be/dCQi0W2lqnY

Aquaponics:
https://youtu.be/QniXvR2WuRw

Oilseed:

The oil, still in many places, is squeezed from the seeds by using traditional grinding mills, called
‘Ghanee’, which is pulled by a bull through long hours of the day and even throughout the night; the
tradesman in the business is called kolu. Nowadays, oil extraction is done in electric mills. Large quantity
of soybean and sunflower oil is to be imported. Imported soybean oil is cheaper than local mustard oil,
which has been further reducing mustard acreage in the country. Although mustard is grown in almost
all the districts, Chittagong, Sylhet, Dhaka, Tangail, Jessore, Bogra, Sirajganj, and Pabna have
comparatively higher acreage of land for cultivation of this Rabi crop.

https://youtu.be/MHtBioxp2Os
Topic 6C:

Natural Inputs for cash crops:

Jute:

1) High annual rainfall 1000 mm. 2) Temperature between 18 – 33’C 3) Sandy loamy soil

4) Can even grow under waterlogged conditions 5) Jute is cultivated in the rainy season. In
Bangladesh sowing usually starts at the end of February and continues up to the end of May,
depending on the species.

Tea:

1) Warm humid climate 2) Seasonal rainfall 1400mm 3) Temperature ranging 18 – 33’C 4)

Well drained sandy loam soil. 5) Diffused sunlight (shading from rubber) 6) Tillas are required.
Sugarcane:

1) Tropical climate 2) Rich moist soil 3) High humidity 4) Strong sunlight 5) Frequent showers.

How to extract sugar from sugarcane:

https://youtu.be/EP_fgp7zYKk

Industrial process:

Jute:

Jute needs a long day light for growth. After sowing, four to five months are needed for
harvesting of crops. This is done at the flowering stage. The fiber is obtained from the vast of
the stem. Jute cultivation is labour intensive and is mostly grown by marginal, poor, and small
landowners. For successful cultivation, land preparation is very important. It needs 3-5 times
cross ploughing and laddering for uniform smooth soil. Cow dung is generally used according to
the soil type. In Bangladesh farmers generally do not use any fertilizer in jute cultivation.

After harvesting, plants are bundled together with a required number of plants, and kept
standing for 5-7 days in the field for shading off the leaves. Then the bundles are put under
water. Clear slow flowing water is the best thing possible for good retting. After 12-15 days,
when proper retting is completed, the fibre is separated from the stick by hand and then washed
and dried in sunlight. After drying, farmers sell the fibre in the local market. Although jute is
grown in almost all the districts of Bangladesh, Faridpur, Tangail, Jessore, Dhaka, Sirajganj,
Bogra, and Jamalpur are considered the better growing areas.

https://youtu.be/XBc5i8HtwNc

Tea:

The leaves of tea are processed in the tea factories to produce an acceptable product for
human consumption. Tea manufacture involves following operations: plucking and handling of
tea shoots, withering, processing/rolling, fermentation, drying/firing, sorting and packaging. Then
these are sorted into particles of different sizes using mechanically oscillated sieves fitted with
meshes of various sizes in the sorting machine; the tea is then sorted and ready for sale.

https://youtu.be/m6yiKKXRs2o

Challenges

1. Loss of arable land

Major factors responsible for land loss are urbanization, human settlement, building of
infrastructure, and river erosion. The loss indeed is very alarming and therefore, needs to be
addressed immediately.

2. Population growth

3. Imbalanced use of fertilizers

4. Inefficient water use

5. Pests and diseases

6. Lack of quality seeds

7. Inadequate credit support to farmers

8. Unfair price of agricultural produces

3rd and 4th Revolution:

https://youtu.be/qM57SNYNukc