Get complete information on Agricultural Techniques

1. Plantation Agriculture:

(а) It is one in which one crop is grown on huge estates.

(b) There is a large capital investment,

(c) Crops are grown mainly for trade

(d) Crops are grown by using modern and scientific techniques.

2. Shifting Agriculture:

(a) In India, it is also known as ‘slash and burn’ agriculture or ‘Jhumming’.

(b) This is carried on in the regions of heavy rain and forested hillslopes.

(c) Seeds are sown and when the plant is harvested the area is abandoned and a new clearing is made.

3. Extensive Farming:

It is carried on in the areas of sparse population where one crop is grown on a large area. Machinery is used.

4. Intensive Farming:

It is carried on in the areas of dense population where land is less. There is an excessive use of fertilizers to get maximum yields. More than one crop is used.

5. Green Revolution:

It is the term used to describe the efforts made by the government to increase food production by using;

(а) High yielding varieties of seed.

(б) Better irrigational facilities,

(c) Proper use of fertilizers.

(d) Financial assistance to farmers.

6. Japanese Method of Cultivating Rice increases the yield three times the normal quantity. It involves:

(a) The use of better quality seeds.

(b) Sowing of seeds in raised nursery beds.

(c) Transplantation of seedlings in rows.

(d) Application of fertilizers and better irrigation facilities.

7. Clonal Planting:

A technique of growing bushes from cuttings of the high yielding mother plants and not from seeds, e.g., tea.

8. Ginning:

It is the process in which the cotton seeds are separated from the fibre.

9. Ratooning:

It is the process in which another crop of sugar cane is obtained from the same plant.

10. By products of Sugar cane:

(a) Molasses – fertilizers, rum, yeast.

(b) Bagasse – used to make paper, fibreboard, synthetic fibres.

(c) Pressmud – used to make wax, shoe polish and carbon paper.

11. Retting:

It is the process in which the jute fibre is separated from the stalk by submerging them in a pool of gently flowing clear water.

12. Topping:

It is the process in which the top leaves and flower buds are cut to avoid seeding.

13. Curing:

It is the process in which the tobacco leaves are tied on to a bamboo pole for 10-15 days. This is done to give it the required colour, texture and aroma.

14. Fermenting:

It is the process in which the tea leaves are spread on special trays under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. The tea is partly oxidized changing the color to a coppery red.

15. Oil-cake:

It is the residue left after the oil is extracted. It is used as fertilizers and fodder for cattle.

16. Favourable Conditions for Agriculture:

(a) Tropical climate provides a very long growing season.

(b) Large stretches of fertile land in the Northern plains and coastal regions provide water and arable land.

(c) Large size of the country and varying climate help in the cultivation of a large variety of crops.

(d) India is a developing country where industry depends on agricultural raw materials.

17. Importance of Agriculture:

(a) It provides raw materials for agro-based industries like cotton, jute, sugar and tobacco.

(b) Provides employment to about 70% of the population.

(c) It is an important Foreign exchange earner- Products like tea, cotton and jute are exported.

(d) It provides food for the large population.

18. Problems of Indian Agriculture:

(a) Unreliable, seasonal and unequally distributed rainfall is the main cause of the failure of rain fed crops.

(b) The farms are small therefore, the yield is low.

(c) As the farmers are illiterate, they are not willing to use the modern scientific methods of cultivation.

(d) Due to the heavy rain there is widespread erosion which leads to infertile land.

19. Agricultural Seasons of India:

There are mainly two agricultural seasons in India:

(a) Kharif (Summer Crop)

(i) Seeds are sown with the onset of Monsoons-June.

(ii)The crop is harvested at the end of the Monsoons-beginning of November.

(iii) Crops grown-Rice, maize, cotton, jute and sugar cane.

(b) Rabi (Winter Crop)

(i) Seeds are sown in the month of November.

(ii)The crop is harvested in the month of March.

(iii) The crops grown are wheat, tobacco, gram and mustard.