2 Explain the following processes and techniques. Soil preparation: Manually: Seed Sowing Seed drill:
Answers
Manual sowing means sowing done by hand.It is the process of sprinkling of seeds in the field by hands . ... Seed drill is the machine which help in the sowing of seeds . In this way seeds are sown at correct distance and depth.
Answer:
People are generally mistaken about what the first step of farming or agriculture is. We assume that it is the sowing of seeds. But even before the seeds are sown for germination, we must ensure that the soil is ready for farming. This it is the process of soil preparation.Soil Preparation
As we discussed, soil preparation is the first step to be followed when we start the agricultural process. It usually entails the loosening up of the top layer of soil i.e. topsoil. Plants absorb water and nutrients from the soil through their roots, hence it is essential to prepare the soil, so we can have a healthy and bountiful produce.
The soil is prepared by the following methods
Ploughing
Levelling
Manuring
Ploughing is the process of loosening and turning the soil. Its also known as tilling. Ploughing of soil is important for the following reasons
Allows roots of the plants to penetrate deeply into the soil. This firmly roots the plant.
Loose soil also provides better aeration to the roots allowing them to breathe easily.
It assists the growth of microbes and worms, which perform decomposing and add nutrients and humus to the soil
Ploughing also removes weeds and other waste materials from the field.
It brings nutrient-rich soil to the top, which helps in the growth of plants
The tools we use for ploughing are:
Plough: This is the most ancient tool used for ploughing. A plough may be made of wood or a metal such as iron. It has a blade or sticks attached to the front that is used to cut through the soil. Ploughs are traditionally drawn by cattle such as ox or cows, but in modern times tractors are used. Ploughs till the soil, add manure and fertilizers and scrapes the soil.
Hoe: A hoe is also an ancient agricultural tool. We use it to till the land, remove weeds and dig up soil. They generally have a long wooden rod with a bent iron plate at one end. The other end may be attached to an animal. Hoe was used for tilling in olden times, but these days are only used to remove weeds.
Cultivator: This is the modern mechanism we use currently to plough our farms. It involves the use of a tractor to drive the cultivator. They dig up and pulverize the soil. Cultivators also kill weeds and dig up unwanted vegetation. Cultivator may be more expensive than the traditional methods, but it saves a lot of time and labour force.