Agriculture: A Way of Life

The following activities can lead to an improvement in crop production:

• Crop variety improvement
• Crop production improvement
• Crop protection management

Crop variety improvement methods

• Hybridization-  It is a method by which two characteristics present in different organisms can be brought together into one organism
• Changing maturity time- By growing a plant that grows and yields faster, the crop cycle is reduced to increase profit
• Other agronomical factors- short plants are beneficial in cereals so that nutrition is not consumed by plants to grow taller.

Factors affecting the yield and quality of crops

• Rainfall
• Soil quality
• Diseases
• Weeds and Pests

Traits to be improved in a crop- 

• • High yield
  • Biotic and abiotic stress resistance like drought, floods, weeds and  pests
  • Wider adaptability
  • Desired agronomic characteristics
  • High nutritional value

 

Artificial Methods of Vegetative Propagation

• Cutting – The artificial methods of vegetative propagation are

• Stem cutting – Short lengths of the plant to be propagated are cut and planted in soil and they develop adventitious roots, leaves grow into individual plants.

Eg. – Rose, Coleus and Begonia are propagated by this method.

• Root Cutting – In some plants, cutting of root are placed in soil and they develop into individual plants.

Eg. – Lime, Tamarind.

• Layering – It consists of two method…