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Crops are usually grown on large land areas to provide food and other resources to humans. Crop yield is the amount of farm produce per unit of land area. To improve crop yields, one needs to have a good understanding of the factors that affect their growth.
Crops are grown depending on the season. Kharif crops, also known as monsoon crops, are grown in the rainy season. Some of which are cotton, paddy and maize. Rabi crops are grown in winter. Some of which are gram, peas and wheat.
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Key Takeaways: crop yield, Kharif and Rabi crop, crop variety management, crop breeding, cross-breeding of crops, hybridization of crops, biotic and abiotic factors,
Crop Variety Improvement
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With crop breeding, new and better varieties of crops can be produced. It can also improve disease resistance, fertilizer response, product quality of crops and lead to higher yields. The desired properties of different crops can be selected to cross them over and produce new ones. Farmers are then provided with these new varieties to produce them, which feed the population of the country. This approach also helps to produce disease-resistant crops.
Some reasons why crop variety improvement can benefit the crop yield are listed below.
- The crop yield is increased by improving the quality of the crop through hybridization or cross-breeding.
- Disease-resistant crops can be produced. These crops then become immune to biotic and abiotic factors.
- The new crops produced can adjust to changing environmental conditions.
- Due to this, the time duration of sowing and harvesting the crops is reduced. This means the farmers can do multiple rounds of crop production in a year. This also reduces the cost and makes the process economical.
Improvement in Crop Yield
Crop Production Management
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In India, farms range from small to large. The crop production management depends on the access farmers have to lands, money and new technology. The crop yield depends largely on its input. There are various crop production management practices, such as no-cost, low-cost and high-cost methods.
Crop Production Management
Nutrient Management
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For the growth and development of crops, they need inorganic substances called nutrients. They gain these nutrients from the air, water and soil.
Farmers must provide the proper nutrients to crops. Providing them with too much or too little nutrients is harmful. Nutrient deficiency can affect physiological processes in plants, such as growth, reproduction and disease resistance. Additional nutrients can also be provided from outside through manure and fertilizers.
Interated Nutrient Management
Based on the quantity of the nutrients needed by these crops, they are divided into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients
The nutrients that the crops require in relatively large quantities are called macronutrients. For example, nutrients such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorus, potassium, carbon, etc.
Macronutrients and Micronutrients
Micronutrients
Crops require these nutrients in small quantities. Some of which are zinc, iron, manganese, boron, copper, etc.
Irrigation
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The agriculture of India depends mainly on rain. Crop productivity is hugely affected by the monsoon and the amount of rainfall received. Insufficient rain and a poor monsoon can lead to crop failure.
Irrigation Systems
Crop yield is hugely benefited if the crops receive sufficient water during their growing season. So, steps are taken to introduce irrigation systems to enhance crop productivity. Different types of irrigation systems are used to supply water to agricultural land based on the resources available nearby. Rainwater harvesting and maintenance of watersheds are some of them.
Things To Remember
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- Approaches to improve crop yields are crop variety improvement, crop production management, nutrient management, and irrigation.
- The amount of farm produce per unit of land area is called crop yield.
- Crops need inorganic substances called nutrients for their growth.
- Crops require some nutrients in small quantities, and they are called micronutrients, while they require some other nutrients in relatively large quantities, which are known as macronutrients.
Sample Questions
Ques. What is the importance of crop yield in agriculture? (3 marks)
Ans. Crop yield is the amount of crop production per unit of land area. It gives the measure of the amount of crop produced from a particular piece of land. Crop yield affects the demand and supply of crops and the ultimate products made from them in the market. It also gives us an idea of whether the crop productivity of a certain land is enough or if measures need to be taken to improve it.
Ques. Why do we need to improve crop yield? (3 marks)
Ans. With the increasing population of the country, there is a higher demand for food and other agricultural products. By optimizing crop productivity, we can produce more crops. Improving crop yield involves improving the quantity as well as the quality of the crops. Through crop breeding and hybridization, better quality crops can be produced that are disease resistant and can also survive in various environmental conditions. Thus, improving crop yield is quite beneficial.
Ques. What are some ways to improve crop production? (3 marks)
Ans. Crop production can be improved in various ways.
- By practising seasonal crop rotation
- By knowing the crop yield
- By utilizing manures and fertilizers to provide the required nutrients
- By maintaining proper irrigation facilities
- By crop-breeding and hybridization to improve the quality of crops
Ques. What is mixed farming? (2 marks)
Ans. The method of agriculture that involves growing crops and raising livestock is called mixed farming. Mixed farming is beneficial as it can reduce the use of artificial fertilizers. Raising cattle on farms is advantageous as they excrete nitrogenous waste, which can be used as manure to grow cereals. And the waste produced from crops can be served as fodder for the livestock. Thus, it helps with waste management in both ways.
Ques. How is crop production affected by biotic and abiotic factors? (2 marks)
Ans. Certain factors are responsible for crop loss during production and storage.
- Biotic factors such as insects, pests, rodents, etc.
- Abiotic factors such as humidity, temperature, etc.
Both these factors can affect crop production and cause degradation in crop quality, low market prices, discolouration, and poor germination ability.
Ques. Explain macronutrients. (2 marks)
Ans. Macronutrients are the essential nutrients that plants require in large quantities. Some of which are oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc. Some of these are required by plants as constituents of protoplasm. Magnesium is an important constituent of chlorophyll. Calcium is present in the cell wall. And proteins contain phosphorus, sulphur and nitrogen.
Ques. What is plant breeding, which is used to improve crop production? (3 marks)
Ans. Plant breeding is the science of improving crop production by breeding varieties of crops. It can increase crop yield and improve the quality of crops. To obtain a crop with the desired characteristics, they are picked from different areas and hybridization or cross-breeding is performed on them. The new crops produced from it lead to higher yields, fewer water irrigation requirements, can survive different environmental conditions, require less fertilizer and mature early.
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