Agronomy Module 2

Cereal Crops

1. Rice requires continuous standing water during vegetative growth.
2. Wheat is a cool-season crop requiring 12–15°C for grain filling.
3. Maize is sensitive to drought during tasseling.
4. Sorghum tolerates high temperature and water stress.
5. Barley matures earlier than wheat and is used as fodder and food.
6. Millets like pearl millet are C4 crops adapted to arid conditions.

Legume Crops

1. Pigeon pea is a deep-rooted rainfed crop.
2. Chickpea is a cool-season legume with high protein content.
3. Soybean fixes nitrogen through symbiosis with Rhizobium.
4. Groundnut is a short-day legume sensitive to frost.
5. Green gram and black gram are short-duration pulses suitable for Kharif.

Oilseed Crops

1. Mustard is a rapeseed-mustard group crop; long-day plant.
2. Sunflower is a C3 oilseed crop requiring well-drained soil.
3. Soybean is an important edible oilseed and protein crop.
4. Groundnut yields increase with light irrigation during pegging.

Fiber Crops

1. Cotton is a long-day crop requiring 150–200 frost-free days.
2. Jute grows well in alluvial soil with high rainfall.
3. Coir is obtained from coconut husk fibers.

Sugar & Plantation Crops

1. Sugarcane is a C4, long-duration crop requiring high water.
2. Sugarcane ratooning saves time and cost of cultivation.
3. Coconut is a tropical plantation crop tolerant to salinity.
4. Cashew is a drought-tolerant tree crop suitable for poor soils.
5. Arecanut grows well in humid tropics under shade.

Harvesting & Post-Harvest

1. Rice is harvested when grains are 20–25% moisture.
2. Wheat is harvested at full maturity (grain moisture 14%).
3. Maize for grain is harvested at physiological maturity (black layer formation).
4. Groundnut harvesting is done when leaves turn yellow and pods mature.
5. Cotton is picked when bolls open and fibers are fluffy.
6. Proper storage prevents seed deterioration and pest infestation.
7. Threshing separates grain from straw.
8. Winnowing separates chaff from grain.
9. Silage is made from green fodder for livestock during lean periods.

Soil & Fertility Management

1. NPK ratio affects vegetative, reproductive, and yield parameters.
2. Lime application is required in acid soils to correct pH.
3. Gypsum improves soil structure in alkaline soils.
4. Organic manures improve soil fertility, microbial activity, and water retention.
5. Green manuring crops include Sesbania, Sunhemp, and Dhaincha.
6. Crop rotation with legumes improves soil nitrogen content.
7. Drip irrigation with fertilizers is called fertigation.
8. Mulching reduces weed growth, moisture loss, and soil temperature fluctuation.

Weed Management

1. Echinochloa crus-galli is a major weed of rice.
2. Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious invasive weed.
3. Pre-emergence herbicides are applied before crop emergence.
4. Post-emergence herbicides control weeds after crop emergence.
5. Integrated Weed Management combines chemical, mechanical, and cultural methods.

Irrigation & Water Management

1. Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the root zone.
2. Sprinkler irrigation mimics rainfall and is suitable for uneven terrain.
3. Flood irrigation is inefficient but common in rice cultivation.
4. Critical growth stages for irrigation include flowering and grain filling.
5. Mulching conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds.
6. Waterlogging reduces oxygen availability and causes root diseases.
7. Deficit irrigation can be applied in drought-tolerant crops to save water.
8. Furrow irrigation is suitable for row crops like maize and sugarcane.
9. Basin irrigation is commonly used for fruit orchards.
10. Sprinkler irrigation efficiency is 70–85%.

Fertilizers & Nutrient Management

1. Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth.
2. Phosphorus promotes root development and early maturity.
3. Potassium improves disease resistance and stress tolerance.
4. Zinc deficiency causes stunted growth and chlorosis.
5. Boron deficiency affects flower and fruit formation.
6. Sulfur deficiency causes yellowing of young leaves.
7. Fertigation combines fertilizer application with irrigation.
8. Split application of nitrogen reduces losses and improves yield.
9. Organic manures improve soil texture, microbial activity, and nutrient supply.
10. Micronutrients are applied through soil or foliar sprays.