Agriculture Agricultural Practices: Overview, Organic Farming, Irrigation

Agricultural practices are the only reason why there is high production of crops and we can meet the demand of the population. Due to good agricultural practice, there is also good quality of crops produced. Agriculture practices are one of the important parts of Strategies for Enhancement in the food production chapter of biology class 12th.

What are Agricultural Practices?

The techniques and tactics that farmers use to cultivate crops and produce livestock are known as agricultural practices. Depending upon the resources available, soil types, and the environment, these techniques vary. Some of the major importance of agriculture practices are discussed below:

• Agriculture practices techniques like crop rotation and organic fertilizers increase the fertility as well as nutrients of the soil.

• Techniques like soil preparation, use of green manure and organic farming increase productivity and also conserve minerals at the same time.

• For better agriculture practices there are also best management and timely crop rotation techniques available which help you control the pests, weeds and your crops from several diseases.

• Some modern methods like drip irrigation and conservation tillage can also help in providing sufficient water and reduce the environmental damage which is done due to normal agricultural methods.

• Proper agriculture techniques help in maintaining the environmental balance and reduce the ecological footprint in the maintenance of biodiversity.

Also Read

• Strategies For Enhancement In Food Production

• Artificial Insemination

• Animal Husbandry Food Animals

• Microbes In Human Welfare

Major Agricultural Practices

Soil Preparation

Crop cultivation begins with the preparation of the soil. The soil must be ploughed evenly and levelled. A good agricultural fertilizer should be used in order to enrich with nutrients.

Sowing

Selection of Superior seeds is sown for better production of crops. Drilling and broadcasting are some of the agriculture techniques that help increase the production of your crop and these are used very commonly.

Irrigation

Crop growth requires appropriate water management. Techniques like drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation ensure appropriate soil moisture while preserving water. Crop must have and water availability impact irrigation techniques.

Weeding

Removing unwanted plants that compete with crops for sunlight and nourishment needs weeding. Chemical and mechanical techniques are used to get rid of weeds.

Protection of crops

Herbicides and pesticides are put to use by farmers to protect their crops from diseases and pests. However, overuse of chemicals can harm aquatic ecosystems by leading to eutrophication, and contamination of nutrients in water bodies.

Harvesting

Once the crop is ready the process of harvesting begins. The grains are collected and the residue is used for the generation of biofuel.

Storage

Once the crops are harvested and collected they need to be stored at safe temperatures and environment for long periods of time. This process is also for the protection of crops from pests and rodents.

Most Common Agricultural Practices

Some of the common agricultural practices are discussed below:

Importance of Sustainable Agricultural Practice

A sustainable agriculture practice is a balance towards good food production with the preservation of the environment and ecosystem at the same time. By adopting good agriculture practices methods you can save the soil from problems like soil degradation, water scarcity and excessive use of chemical fertilizers.

Apart from this a sustainable and organic agriculture Practice also helps in promoting the balance between biodiversity by maintaining crop rotation and natural ecosystems. It also saves aquatic ecosystems from the harmful chemicals which are used in pesticides and fertilizers.

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Agricultural Practices

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Agricultural Practices are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Getting the Soil Ready "PAL: Plowing, Aeration, Leveling"

P: Plowing, which digs up the soil in preparation for planting

A: Aeration, which allows nutrients and air to reach roots

L: Leveling ( soil leveling for better irrigation)

Methods of Sowing

"BDS: Broadcasting, Drilling, Sowing Depth"

B: Broadcasting (that is, the seeds over a broad region)

D: Drilling, which includes planting seeds at specific depths

S: Planting seeds at the right level for germination is known as "sowing depth."

Methods of Irrigation "SDF: Sprinkler, Drip, Flood"

S: Sprinkler (rain-like spraying of water on crops)

D: Drip (to save water, water goes straight to the roots)

F: Flood (also known as the traditional method of pouring water onto fields)

Types of Questions Asked from Agricultural Practices

During exam preparation, different types of questions about Agricultural Practices are asked. The table below contains the different patterns of questions asked in different exams.

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