Crop Production Technology and Agronomic Practices
What the domain tests
Crop Production Technology and Agronomic Practices tests the package of practices: tillage, seed selection, sowing, spacing, nutrient and water management, weed control, cropping systems and harvest. Expect calculations of seed rate or plant population and justification of a practice.
Core rules
- Tillage prepares a seedbed, controls weeds and manages residues; excessive tillage damages structure and depletes organic matter.
- Good seed is genetically pure, viable, free from pests and diseases, and of proper moisture.
- Sowing depth depends on seed size and soil moisture; small seeds are placed shallow.
- Spacing determines plant population and competition for light, water and nutrients. Intercropping uses complementary crops; crop rotation breaks pest cycles and improves soil fertility.
- Integrated crop management combines variety choice, timely sowing, balanced nutrition, water scheduling and integrated weed management.
- Harvest at physiological maturity to reduce shattering and quality loss.
Worked example
Calculate plant population for a crop sown at 45 cm x 15 cm in one hectare. Area per plant = 0.45 m x 0.15 m = 0.0675 m2. One hectare = 10,000 m2. Population = 10,000/0.0675 = 148,148 plants/ha, about 1.48 lakh plants/ha. Reasoning: keep units in metres; dividing total area by area per plant gives plant number. Add a germination correction only if asked for seed rate.
Traps
Closer spacing raises population but may lower per-plant yield and increase disease. Seed rate is not the same as plant population: seed rate must account for germination, purity and seed weight. Do not sow deeper merely because soil is dry; check moisture and use appropriate practice. Do not confuse intercropping with crop rotation.