Punjab PSEB Matric Agriculture flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Loam soil

A soil texture with a balanced mix of sand, silt and clay particles. It holds moisture and nutrients well while draining freely, making it generally the best texture for crop production.

Soil pH

A 0–14 scale measuring soil acidity or alkalinity. Most crops grow best between pH 6.0 and 7.5; below 6 needs lime, above 7.5 needs gypsum.

Primary nutrients NPK

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the three nutrients crops need in largest amounts. Nitrogen builds leaves, phosphorus roots, and potassium strengthens stems, grain filling and disease resistance.

Urea fertilizer

The most concentrated solid nitrogen fertilizer, containing about 46 percent nitrogen. It is highly soluble and is usually applied in split doses to reduce nitrogen loss.

DAP fertilizer

Di-ammonium phosphate, a granular fertilizer containing about 18 percent nitrogen and 46 percent phosphorus. It is widely used as a basal dose at sowing for root development.

Farmyard manure

Decomposed cattle dung, urine and bedding used as an organic manure. It supplies all major and minor nutrients in small amounts and improves soil structure, water holding and microbial activity.

Green manuring

Growing a quick leafy legume such as dhaincha or sunhemp and ploughing it into the soil before flowering. It adds organic matter and nitrogen to the field.

Seed treatment

Coating seed with fungicide or insecticide before sowing to control seed-borne and soil-borne diseases and early sucking pests. Treated seed must never be used as food or feed.

Seed rate

The quantity of seed sown per unit area, adjusted for seed size, germination percentage and desired plant population. Thin crops need less; bold-seeded crops need more.

Critical growth stage

The stage at which a crop is most sensitive to water shortage, such as crown root initiation in wheat. Irrigation at this stage gives the greatest yield benefit.

Crop rotation

Growing different crops in sequence on the same field. Alternating cereals with legumes restores nitrogen and interrupts the life cycles of soil-borne pests and diseases.

Rhizobium nodules

Small swellings on legume roots where Rhizobium bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable form. This fixed nitrogen also benefits the following crop.

Integrated pest management

A combined strategy using resistant varieties, clean cultivation, crop rotation, mechanical and biological control, with chemical pesticides used only when pest numbers cross the economic threshold.

Economic threshold level

The pest population at which control measures become economically justified. Spraying below this level wastes money and harms natural enemies of the pest.

Kharif season

The monsoon crop season, sown around June–July and harvested in autumn. Typical kharif crops in Punjab include cotton, paddy, maize, moong and sugarcane.

Rabi season

The winter crop season, sown around October–November and harvested in spring. Wheat, gram, mustard, barley and berseem are typical rabi crops in Punjab.

Zaid season

A short summer season between rabi harvest and kharif sowing. Quick-growing crops such as moong, cucumber, melons and fodder are grown with irrigation.

Sowing depth

How deep seed is placed in the soil, usually about 5 cm for cereals. Too shallow dries the seed; too deep exhausts its food reserve before the shoot emerges.

Transplanting

Raising seedlings in a nursery and then moving them to the main field. It is used for paddy, vegetables and chillies to get a uniform stand and save seed.

Weed control

Removing unwanted plants that compete for water, nutrients and light. Methods include hand weeding, mechanical cultivation, mulching and selective herbicides.

Herbicide

A chemical that kills or suppresses weeds. Selective herbicides spare the crop, while non-selective ones kill all vegetation and are used mainly before sowing.

Irrigation methods

Techniques of supplying water to crops: flooding, furrow, sprinkler and drip. Drip and sprinkler save water and are promoted where canal water is limited.

Drip irrigation

Water is delivered drop by drop to the root zone through pipes and emitters. It saves water, reduces weeds and allows fertilizer to be applied with irrigation.

Sprinkler irrigation

Water is sprayed over the crop through nozzles like rain. It suits light soils and close-growing crops and can be used on uneven land.

Tubewell

A deep well fitted with a pump to lift groundwater for irrigation. It is the main source of irrigation in Punjab, where canal supply alone is insufficient.

Waterlogging

Saturation of soil with water that leaves no air spaces for roots. It causes yellowing, stunted growth and yield loss; drainage and controlled irrigation are the remedies.

Soil erosion

Loss of topsoil by wind or flowing water. It reduces fertility and is controlled by contour ploughing, bunding, cover crops and planting trees on slopes.

Dairy animal feeding

A balanced ration combines green fodder, dry fodder and concentrate with minerals and clean water. Milch animals need extra concentrate per litre of milk produced.

Crossbred cattle

Cattle produced by crossing indigenous breeds with exotic dairy breeds such as Holstein or Jersey. They give higher milk yield but need better feed and management.

Poultry farming

Rearing chicken for eggs or meat. Success depends on clean sheds, balanced feed, vaccination, proper temperature and control of disease outbreaks.

Apiculture

Beekeeping for honey and beeswax. Bee colonies are kept in boxes near flowering crops, which also improves pollination and fruit set of those crops.

Sericulture

Rearing silkworms to produce silk. Mulberry leaves are the main feed, and cocoons are reeled to obtain silk thread.

Agricultural marketing

The process of moving produce from farm to consumer through grading, storage, transport and sale. Regulated markets and cooperatives help farmers get fair prices.