Principles and Practices of Crop Production

AI25201:

Principles and Practices of Crop Production

Course Objectives:

 • To impart fundamentals of crop productions and familiarize the major factors and methods in crop management.

• To provide insight into various techniques for production of agro-products.

Agriculture and Crop Production: Introduction to agriculture and its crop production sub-sectors - field crop production and horticulture; Factors affecting crop growth and production: genetic (internal) and environmental (external) factors; Crop management through environmental modification and adaptation of crops to the existing environment through crop cultural practices.

Activities: Identification of field and horticultural crops.

Crop Selection and Establishment: Regional and seasonal selection of crops; Systems of crop production; Competition among crop plants; Spacing and arrangement of crop plants; Field preparation for crops, including systems of tillage; Establishment of an adequate crop stand and ground cover, including selection and treatment of seed, and nursery growing.

Activities: Nursery, demonstration on different types in the field, estimation of seed rate, germination of seeds.

Crop Management: Crop water Management; Crop nutrition management, need for supplementation to soil supplied nutrients, sources, generalized recommendations, methods, and timing of application of supplemental nutrients including fertigation scheduling; Crop protection including management of weeds, pests, and pathogens; Integrated methods of managing water, nutrients, and plant protection; Types and methods of harvest.

Activities: Estimation of Fertilizer dose, Weedicide uses and caution, Demonstration of IPM methods

Production Practices of Agricultural Crops: Generalized management and cultivation practices for important groups of field crops in Tamil Nadu: cereal crops, grain legumes, oil seed crops, sugarcane, and fiber crops, and special purpose crops such as those grown for green manure and fodder.

Activities: Harvesting methods for various field and horticultural crops

Production Practices of Horticultural Crops: Important groups of horticultural crops in Tamil Nadu such as vegetable crops, fruit crops, flower crops; Cultivation practices of representatives of each group; Special features of production of horticultural crops - green house cultivation.

Activities: Field Visits – Minimum two visits.

Weightage: Continuous Assessment: 40%, End Semester Examinations: 60%

Methodology for Continuous Assessment: Quiz (10%), Field Visits (10%), Assignments (30%) and Internal Examinations (50%)

References:

1.Prasad, R. (2015). Text book of field crop production. Directorate of Information and Publication, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan.

2.Reddy, T. S. G. H. Y., & Reddi, Y. (2005). Principles of agronomy. Kalyani Publishers.

3.Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). (2011). Handbook of agriculture. ICAR Publications.

4.Bose, T. K., & Yadav, L. P. (1989). Commercial flowers. Naya Prakash.

5.Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). (2005). Crop production guide. TNAU Publications.