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Class 8, Science, Chapter-1, Lecture-1, Types of Crops (Notes)

AGRICULTURE: 

The science and practice of farming which involves rearing of livestock, cultivating land, rising crops, reaping, and marketing the produce is called agriculture. 

CROP: 

The plants of the same kind that are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale by humans for food, fodder and other materials are called crops. 

Classification of Crops based on produce: 

  1. Food Crops: 
    The plants cultivated by humans for food are called food crops. 
    Examples – Cereals, Pulses, Vegetable, Fruits, Oil Seeds (except Castor
    (i) Energy Crops – Wheat, Rice, Maize, Millets, Sorghum 
    (ii) Protein Crops – Gram, Pea, Black gram (Urad), Green gram (Moong), Pigeon pea (Arhar), Lentil (Masoor). 
    (iii) Oil Crops – Soyabeen, Ground nut, Sesame, Mustard, Linseed, Sunflower 
    (iv) Vitamin/Mineral Crops – Vegetables, Fruits, Spices 
  2. Fodder Crops: 
    The plants cultivated by humans for fodder are called fodder crops. 
    Examples – Berseem, Oat, Sudan grass. 
  3. Cash Crops: 
    The plants cultivated by humans for earning profit are called cash crops. 
    Examples – Cotton, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Tea, Spices

Classification of Crops based on Season: 

  1. Rabi Crops: 
    The crops which are grown during the month of October to March in India are called rabi crops. 
    Examples – Wheat, Gram, Peas, Mustard, Linseed. 
  2. Kharif Crops: 
    The crops which are grown during the month of June to September in India are called kharif crops. 
    Examples – Paddy, Soyabean, Pigeon pea, Maize, Cotton, Green gram, Black gram. 
  3. Zaid Crops: 
    The crops which are grown during the month of April to June in India are called zaid crops. 
    Examples – Watermelon, Pumpkin, Gourd, Groundnut. 

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN:

Kharif Crop

Rabi Crop

1. These are monsoon or rainy season crops

1. These are winter crops

2. These crops grow in hot and wet conditions

2. These crops grow in cold and dry condition

3. These are sown in the beginning of rainy season

3. These are sown after the end of rainy season

4. These crops are harvested at the end of monsoon

4. These crops are harvested before the advent of summer.

AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES: 

Various activities undertaken by farmers over a period of time to cultivate crops are called agricultural practices. 

  1. Preparation of soil 
  2. Sowing 
  3. Adding manure and fertilisers 
  4. Irrigation 
  5. Protecting from weeds 
  6. Harvesting 
  7. Storage

Preparation of Soil: 

Turning and Loosening of soil by tilling or ploughing, its levelling, removal of existing weeds and adding water and manure to the soil for better production is called preparation of soil. 
Steps:

  1. Tilling and Ploughing by TILLER and PLOUGH or CULTIVATOR 
  2. Levelling by LEVELLER 
  3. Weeding by HOE 
  4. Applying water and Manure (if required) 

PLOUGHING: 

The process of turning and loosening of soil to allow better penetration of roots, air and growth of friendly microbes in the soil is termed as ploughing. 
Advantages: 

  1. Better penetration of roots
  2. Mixing of oxygen with soil 
  3. Growth of friendly microbes and earthworms 
  4. Enrichment of soil with nutrients from lower level