Notes on 2b. Basic Principles of Crop Production

Notes on 2b. Basic Principles of Crop Production

References: General Agriculture by Muniraj

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Agricultural Concepts and Techniques:

• Competition Index proposed by Donald (1968).
• Curing is associated with Tobacco & Tea.
• Trashing is associated with Sugarcane.
• Stripping is associated with Jute.
• Wrapping is associated with Sugarcane.
• Wind circulation in cyclone in Northern hemisphere: Anticlockwise.
• Isohyets: Imaginary lines connecting points of equal rainfall.
• Isobar: Imaginary lines connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.
• Isopluvial: Imaginary lines connecting equal depth of rainfall.
• Isotech: Imaginary lines connecting equal points of equal wind velocities.
• Rotavator is used for Primary & secondary cultivation.
• Roundup herbicide contains Glyphosate.
• Roundup is a registered product of Monsanto company.
• Collective farming system originated from South Union.
• Leucaena leucocephala: "Miracle plant" useful for fuel, fodder, and manure.
• Oldest tractor manufacturing company: New Holland (1895).
• Sugarcane is used to make car fuel in Brazil.
• First chemically manufactured fertilizer: Ammonium sulphate.
• Optimum temperature for crop production: 15-20°C.

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Daily Current Affairs : Global Water Resources Report 2021 Released by WMO -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

About Global Water Resources Report 2021 Released by WMO 

• WMO (World Meteorological Organization) has released its first annual State of Global Water Resources Report 2021.
• Geneva, 29 November 2022 - The World Meteorological Organization has published its first State of Global Water Resources report in order to assess the effects of climate, environmental and societal change on the Earth’s water resources. 
• The aim of this annual report GWR is to support monitoring and management of global freshwater resources in an era of growing demand and limited supplies.
• Global Water Resources Report 2021 gives an overview of river flow, as well as major floods and droughts. 
• GWR  Report 2021 to provides insights into hotspots for changes in freshwater storage and highlights the crucial role and vulnerability of the cryosphere (snow and ice).

• Global Water Resources Report 2021 shows how large areas of the globe recorded drier than normal conditions in precipitation patterns were influenced by climate change and a La Niña event. 
• The area with below-average streamflow was approximately 2 timeslarger than the above-average area, in comparison to the 30-year hydrological average.

Important Point for all competitive exams:

1. Headquarters location of WHO : Geneva, Switzerland
2. Founded of WHO : 23 March 1950
3. President of WMO : Gerhard Adrian

Cultivation of Tobacco -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Importance of Tobacco 

• The botanical name of plant Nicotiana and the word nicotine were derived from his name. (This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2018)
• In India tobacco was introduced during the early part of the 17th century by the Portuguese.
• Tobacco is a industrial/commercial crops
• Family of Tobacco is Solanaceae(This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2020)
• Tobacco is an important cash crop. 
• The tobacco crop is grown for its leaves which are used as a cured product.
• India ranks third in tobacco leaves afterChina and Brazil. For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in 
• Nicotine sulphate is industrial importance product 
• Nicotine sulphate prepared from tobacco for use as an insecticide and for making tobacco cessation products (This is asked in B H U PRE P G 2021)
• Solanesol is a naturally occurring alcohol present in tobacco
• Tobacco originated in Mexico and Central AmericaFor Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• 55 per cent of the total production of tobacco in the country is in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat only.
• Tobacco is adapted to moderately acidic soils, with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5.
• The nicotine content of the leaves of N. tabacum ranges from 0.5 to 5.5 per cent while in N rustica it varies from 3.5 to 8.0 per cent.(This is asked in ICAR S R F 2020)
• Nicotiana tabacum tobacco is used for smoking and chewing.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)
• Nicotiana rustica tobacco is used extensively for hookah, chewing and snuff purposes.

Research institute of Tobacco  

• Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajamundry  Andhra Pradesh(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2018)
• Indian Central Tobacco Committee were formed in 1945.

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Cultivation of Pearl millet -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Importances of pearl millet crop

• Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the fourth most important grain crop next to rice, wheat and sorghum.

• Pearl millet is considered as Poor Man’s Food and also known as Cattail millet. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2019) For free such exam facts and notes, visit www.agrimly.in www. agrimly.in

• Protein rich (10.5 to 14.5) (This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2018)

• Pearl millet is the staple food of Rajasthan 4th most important foodgrain crop next to rice, wheat & maize(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)

• Pearl millet is grown for grain and fodder (forage)

• Pearl millet is the most drought- and heat-tolerant crop with highest water-use efficiency. (This is asked in CUET PRE P G 2022)

• Pearl millet crop is mostly confined to low fertile water deficit soils. 

• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com

• Pearl millet is traditionally a component of the dry farming system.(This is asked in ICAR S R F 2022)

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Cultivation of Forage sorghum -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Importances of Forage sorghum

• Sorghum as green foliage is very popular in western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana.
• Forage sorghum is characterized by quick growth, high biomass accumulation and dry-matter content.
• Forage sorghum is also suitable for silage and hay making.(This is asked in ICAR S R F 2022)

• In summer under irrigation, multicut sorghum is popular.
• Improved varieties and hybrids of forage sorghum single cut are Haryana Charai 6.(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2019)
• Improved varieties and hybrids of forage sorghum multi cut are: Meethi Sudan, Pusa chari 23.
• The dual purpose (both forage and grain production) varieties and hybrids are CSV 15 and CSH 13.
• Seed rate of 10 kg per ha for multicut sorghum and 25 kg per ha for single-cut sorghum is required.
• Optimum spacing is 45 cm between rows for multicut sorghum and 30 cm between rows for single-cut sorghum.(This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2018)
• Fertilizer application 100 kg N and 60 kg P2O5 per ha for multicut sorghum and 80 kg N and 40 kg P2O5 per ha for single-cut sorghum is recommended.
• HCN is present in sorghum especially in early stages up to 40 to 50 days. (This is asked in ICAR J R F 2020)
• Proper care has to be exercised during harvesting sorghum to avoid HCN poisoning.
• Single-cut sorghum varieties are harvested from 50% flowering to full bloom. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2020)
• Multicut sorghum varieties are the first harvest at 55 days after sowing and subsequent cuts at 40 days interval.

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Cultivation of Sorghum or Jowar -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Importances of Sorghum

• Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is popularly called jowar.
• Sorghum is one of the most important food and fodder crops in India.
• Sorghum occupies third place in area and production.
• Botanical name of Sorghum is Sorghum bicolor
• Sorghum is commonly called as Great millet and Camel crop (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2017)
• Cultivated species of SorghumareS halepense, S miliaceum and  S propinquum.
• Races of Sorghum bicolor are bicolor, kafir, caudatum, durra, guinea. (This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2020)
• Sorghum is grown mainly in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. (This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2018)

Sorghum poisoning

• Leaves of Sorghum contains prussic acid or Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) (This is asked in B H U PRE P G 2019)
• Produced due to degradation of a cyanide ion (Cyanogenic glycosides called 'dhurrin’) by enzyme (This is asked in ICAR S R F 2022)

• Sorghum forage poisoning is caused by prussic acid or Hydrocyanic acid (HCN). 
• HCN content above 200 ppm in sorghum leaves results in animal toxicity.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2020)
• After flowering/heading reduced to safe level for feeding.

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Cultivation of Oats -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

Cultivation of Oats

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Most common cultivatedvarieties of oats for Target Exam Based   

Kent

• Kent variety is an introduction from the USA and was released in 1975.(This is asked in B H U PRE P G 2019)
• Kent variety has been notified for cultivation in the entire country. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2014)
• Kent is resistant to rust, blight and lodging. 
• Kent yields about 50 t/ha of green fodder.
• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com

Algerian 

• The Algerian variety was released in 1975 and is suitable for irrigated areas.

Brunker-10 

• Brunker-10 is suitable for growing in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in
• Brunker-10 is resistant to drought and can be raised under rainfed conditions.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2020)
• The green fodder yield is 40–45 t/ha in 140 days. 

Harita (R O -19) 

• Harita variety was released in 2007 and notified for Maharashtra. 
• Harita is a multicut variety developed by selection from the base population of Kent by MPKV, Rahuri and is suitable for the winter season under irrigated conditions. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2016)
• The average yield is 50 t/ha for green forage and 9.5 t/ha for dry matter. 
• Harita has a high leaf to stem ratio and is resistant to leaf blight disease.

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History and Speciality of Triticale -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF & CUET Target Exam

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

History of Triticale

• Triticale is a Man madecereal.
• Triticale is a hybrid of wheat (Triticum) and rye (Secale) first bred in laboratories during the late 19th century in Scotland and Germany.(This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2020)
• Triticale is a hybrid or intergeneric cross that is made by the crossing of wheat and rye.(This is asked in ICAR S R F 2021)
• Triticale is first wheat x rye that occurred in Scotland during 1875.(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2019)
• The name Triticatefirst appeared in Germany in 1935.(This is asked in B H U PRE P G 2020)
• Triticale, hexaploid cultivars are most commonly used. 
• Hexaploids of wheat and rye are called primary hexaploids.For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in 
• Triticale is either spring or winter cultivated. 
• Majority of triticale cultivars are awned.
• Initial cultivars are, low yielder, tall and weak straw, shrunken/shriveled kernels, high susceptibility to ergot. But high protein, high levels of amino acids and good for animal nutrition.
• Commercially available triticale is almost always a second generation hybrid, i.e., a cross between two kinds of primary (first cross) triticales.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)
• As a rule, triticale combines the yield potential and grain quality of wheat with the disease and environmental tolerance including soil conditions of rye.For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• But today’s cultivable triticale has better yielding ability than wheat, more tiller producing habit, resistance to lodging, resistance to ergot, plump kernels, and protein is similar to bread wheat, suitable for spring and winter seasons.

Speciality of Triticale

• Triticale can utilize water and nutrients more efficiently than winter wheat.
• Seeding, seed rate, season, etc. are similar to wheat.
• Nutrient and water requirements are similar to wheat and they are responding well when grown for grain.
• For forage, the seed rate may be enhanced to 80-100 kg in rainfed and drylands.
• For irrigated crops about 110 kg of seed rate is adopted.(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2015)
• Since the complete package of practices for triticale are not developed, cultural practices of wheat are utilized for cultivating triticale

Cultivation of Barley (Hordeum vulgare) -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF SRF

Cultivation of Barley (Hordeum vulgare)

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Video Lecture: (Click here)

Nutritional importance of barley

• Barley crop isimportant next to rice, wheat, maize crop in area and production
• Protein in the barley crop is 11.5%.
• Barley grain contains 12.5 % moisture, 11.5  % albuminoids, 74 % carbohydrates. 
• Barley crop is great demand to malting industry
• Barley is a highly salt tolerant crop (IBPS AFO 2018) For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in 
• Most staple food in Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan (This is asked in ICAR J R F 2020)
• Mostly barley crop used as “Missi roti”
• Mostly barley crop used for malt, beer, whisky and industrial alcohol, vinegar.
• Barley crop is used for energy rich drinks like bournvita, boost, horlicks.
• Barley grain is roasted and ground and used as 'Sattu' (barley flour mixed in sugar and water). 
• Barley crop is reduce cholesterol level in liver
• Malt syrup is utilized in the preparation of candies, breakfast beverages and medicines. 
• By-product of the brewing and distilling industry, known as 'brewers' and 'distillers grain' is useful as cattle feed.For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• Bold and plump-seeded barley varieties are suitable for manufacture of 'pearl barley' and powder products, which form the diet of the sick and convalescent people. 
• Pearl barley is used for barley water, which is diuretic and is given to persons suffering from kidney disorders. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2018)

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Speciality Baby Corn - for All Agriculture Exams IBPS AFO, ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF, CUET EXAM

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

• Baby corn also known as young corn, cornlets or baby sweetcorn is a cereal grain taken from corn (maize) harvested early.
• Baby com is a young finger like unfertilized cobs with 1 -3 cm emerged silk preferably harvested within 1-3 days of silk emergence, depending upon the growing season.(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2014)
• Baby corn is nutritive and its nutritional quality is at par or even superior to some of the seasonal vegetables.For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in 
• Besides proteins, vitamins and iron, baby corn is one of the richest sources of phosphorus.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)
• Baby corn is a good source of fibrous protein and easy to digest.(This is asked in ICAR S R F 2019)
• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• Baby corn is almost free from residual effects of pesticides. 
• As baby corn can be cultivated round the year, three to four crops of baby corn can be taken in a year.(This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2018)

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Quality Protein Maize (QPM) -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS AFO, ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF, CUET EXAM

Quality Protein Maize (QPM) 

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Video Lecture: (Click here)

• Quality protein maize (QPM) contains the opaque-2 gene along with numerous modifiers for kernel hardness. (ICAR S R F 2018)
• QPM is maize with high nutritive value of endosperm protein, with substantially higher content of lysine and tryptophan essential amino acids. (ICAR J R F 2020)
• Quality Protein Maize which is nutritionally superior to normal maize is the new mantra to signify its importance not only for food and nutritional security but also for quality feed for poultry and animal sectors.(This is asked in State Pre P G 2022)
• For free such exam facts and notes, visit www.agrimly.in www. agrimly.in
• Quality Protein Maize has specific features of having a balanced amount of amino acids with highcontent of lysine and tryptophan and low content of leucine and isoleucine. (This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2019 and ICAR S R F 2022)
• The balanced proportion of all these essential amino acids in Quality Protein Maize enhances the biological value of protein. (This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)
• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• The biological value of protein in QPM is just double that of normal maize protein which is very close to the milk protein, as the biological value of milk and QPM proteins are 90 and 80 Percent respectively.(This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2018)

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Cultivation of Maize -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Video Lecture: (Click here)

Nutritional Importance of Maize

• In India, maize is the third most important food crop after rice and wheat.
• Maize is called 'queen of cereals’ as they have immense yield potential.(This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2020)
• For free such exam facts and notes, visit  www. agrimly.in
• Maize (Zea mays) is the most versatile crop with wider adaptability. (This is asked in ICAR S R F 2022)
• Maize has the highest genetic yield potential among the foodgrain crops.
• Maize cultivationwas started in 4400 BC. 
• The average oil content in maize grain is 4%.(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2017)
• Maize protein is ‘Zein' and is deficient in tryptophan and lysine.(This is asked in ICAR J R F 2021)
• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• Quality protein maize (QPM) is rich in lysine.(This is asked in B H U PRE P G 2020)
• Maize is called the ‘new millennium crop’ as it is an alternate crop to rice and wheat.
• Maize is staple human food, feed for livestock, for fermentation and many industrial uses. Maize is having abundant starch (65%).

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Cultivation of Rice -for All Agriculture Exams IBPS AFO, ADO, RAEO, JRF, SRF

This exam facts are from famous book: Handbook of Agriculture published by I C A R

Video Lecture: (Click here)

Best Season of Rice Cultivation

• In eastern India and Peninsular India, 2-3 crops of rice are taken in a year.
• In northern India and western India, only one crop of rice is taken during the Kharif season.
• For free such exam facts and notes, visit www. agrimly.in
• In general, there are three seasons of growing rice in India :(This is asked in M P Agriculture Development Officer Exam 2018)
• (i) Aus or autumn rice or Kharif (generally sown in May to June and harvested in September to October)(This is asked in IBPS Agriculture Field Officer Exam 2017)
• For Online Classes, Tests, Notes Visit www. agricoachingonline.com
• (ii) Aman or winter or Aghani rice or rabi rice (sown in June to July and harvested in November to December) (This is asked in ICAR J R F 2020)
• (iii) Boro or summer or Dalua rice (sown in December to January and harvested in March to April) (This is asked in Rajasthan Agriculture Officer Exam 2021)

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