Agriculture III & IV Flashcards
define cash crops
primarily grown for sale and not only for use by the grower and his family
define sugarcane
a member of the grass family and is a tall tropical variety with a hard, thick stem, which grows to a height of 3.5 m or more. sugar is stored in the stem
types of sugarcane
gur
khandasari
india’s production of sugarcane
largest value of production amongst all commercial crops.
india stands next to brazil in production
why is man made irrigation required for sugarcane
sucrose content decreases is heavy rains continue
rainfall deficiency causes a fibrous crop
why is sugarcane’s soil supplemented with manures and fertilizers
sugarcane exhausts the fertility of soil
methods of sowing sugarcane
- sett method
- ratooning
define sett method
new canes are planted by taking cuttings from old plants. these cuttings AKA setts, quickly become established and after some days, buds sprout to form new stalks.
define ratooning
during the first harvest the sugarcane is cut leaving a little bit of the stalk in the soil with roots. stalk soon puts out new shoots or RATOONS
advantages of ratooning
- crop does not need to be planted again, saves labour
- ratoon matures early
- method is cheaper as it does not involve any extra inputs
disadvantages of ratooning
- yield is of thinner canes with lower sucrose content
- there is more risk of pests and diseases
why is sugarcane harvested before winters
to protect it from frost. crop is cut by hand or using a long curve knife
why are sugarcane stalks cut near the ground
highest sucrose content
why are sugarcanes processed withing 24 hours of harvesting
to preserve sugar content
main areas of sugarcane production in india
- sutlej-ganga plain from punjab to bihar
- black soil area from maharashtra to TN
- coastal AP and Krishna valley
why does sugarcane grow in sutlej-ganga plain
fertile alluvium which is renewed every year by numerous mountain streams flowing in this area
high temperatures and rainfall
high water level enabling easy irrigation
why does south india have better yield of sugarcane
favourable maritime climate free from effects of summer loo and winter frost
sufficient irrigation
new farming techniques
problems for sugarcane cultivators
- soil exhausting crop and cost of fertilisers increases cost of production
- farms are far from the mills
- cost of transport increases cost of production
- crop is annual, and farmers are unable to cultivate any other crop
solution to sugarcane’s problem of soil exhaustion
crop rotation
edible and non edible oilseeds
groundnut, mustard,
linseed, cotton seeds, castor (NE)
uses of oilseeds
making paints, varnishes, hydrogenated oil, soaps
define oilcake
residue left after the extraction of oil from the oilseeds is used as fodder for animals and also manure in fields
climatic conditions for groundnut
- susceptible to frost
- tropical and subtropical climates
- temp: 20-25
- rain: 50-100 cm
- soil: well drained black soil, sandy loams
harmful climate for groundnuts
prolonged drought
continuous rains
stagnant water
frost
uses of groundnut
- hydrogenated oil
- margarine
- medical emulsions
- soap
leading producer of groundnuts in India
gujarat
distribution of groundnuts
gujarat
telangana
TN
uses of mustard
- cooking medium
- oilcake is cattle feed
- leaves (sarson) are used as veggies
- manure
why is mustard grown in sutlej-ganga plain and not in states of peninsular india
thrives only in cool climate
climatic conditions of mustard
- temp: 10-20 C
- rain: 25-40 cm
- soil: heavier soil, loams
distribution of mustard
UP
rajasthan
punjab
MP
haryana
uses of soya bean
- high protein content
- may be eaten as a vegetable or made into soya sauce
- substitute for animal protein
- soya milk or tofu
precaution while sowing soya bean
time-lag between the sowing time and onset of heavy rainfall adversely affects germination of soya bean seeds
climatic conditions of soya bean seeds
- temp: 13-24 C
- rain: 40-60 cm
- soil: friable loamy, acidic
distribution of soya bean
MP
rajasthan
maharashtra