Class 9, Science, Chapter-12, Lecture-5, Crop Protection (Notes)
Crop Protection Management:
Protection of crops from harm caused by pests, pathogens and weeds is called crop protection management.
Plant Pests:
The organisms which damage or destroy cultivated plants or plant products and make them unfit for human consumption are called plant pests.
WEED:
Unwanted plants in the cultivated field which compete for food, space and light with the crop plants are called weeds.
Examples: Xanthium (Gokhroo), Parthenium (Gaja Ghas) , Cyperinus Rotundus (Motha)
Three Ways of Pests Attack:
- Chewing Insects cut the root, stem and leaves of plants.
- Sucking Insects suck the cell sap from various parts of the plant.
- Borer Insects bore into stems, roots, fruits and seeds.
Measures to protect from pests and weeds:
- Use of resistant varieties
- Summer Ploughing
- Mechanical removal of weeds
- Proper seed bed preparation.
- Crop Rotation and Multiple Cropping
- Timely sowing of crops.
- Use of pesticides (herbicides, insecticides and fungicides)
Plant Diseases:
- Soil Borne Diseases:
Smut (in bajra), Stem rot (in pigeon pea), Wilt (in gram) - Air Borne Diseases:
Rust (in wheat), Blast (in paddy) - Water Borne Diseases:
Bacterial Blight (in rice) - Seed Borne Diseases:
Red rot (in sugarcane) , Smut (in wheat), Leaf spot (in rice)
Factors Responsible for loss of stored grains:
- Abiotic Factors
(i) Moisture content of grains
(ii) Humidity of air
(iii) - Biotic Factors
(i) Insects, Worms, Bacteria, Fungi, Mites
(ii) Rodents,
(iii) Birds and Mammals
Effects of improper storage:
Poor marketability of the produce due to
- Degeneration in quality
- Loss in weight
- Discolouration
- Poor germination capacity.
- Contamination by the excreta, urine, hair etc. of pests.
Measures to minimize storage loss:
- Proper cleaning of the storage.
- Drying of grains over plastic sheet or cemented floor under the sun.
- Cooling of sun-dried grains to room temperature before storage.
- Fumigation using pesticides.
- Making the storage airtight and free from moisture, rodents and insects.
ORGANIC FARMING:
The practice of raising crops through the use of manures, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides with healthy cropping system that provides optimum nutrient to plants and keep pests and weeds under control is termed as organic farming.
Advantages of Organic Farming:
- It is pollution free.
- Farm wastes are recycled.
- The produce is free from harmful chemicals.
- The soil texture and the soil chemistry are not disturbed.
- It is cost effective over long term.