classification of field...

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Classification of Field Crops

Classification by life span:

Annual

Biennial

Perennial

Factors to consider for the selection of field crops:

1. Crops that will grow and produce the desired yields

under the type of climate available.

2. Crops that are adapted to the type of soil available.

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Classification of Field Crops

3. Demand on market available for the crop to be

produced.

4. Labor requirements and availability of labor for the

crop.

5. Machinery and equipment necessary to grow the crop.

6. Availability of enough land to justify production

of the crop.

7. Pest-control problems.

8. Expected yields.

9. Anticipated production costs.

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Seedbed Preparation

Purpose is to provide

conditions favorable for

germination and growth

Eliminating competition from

weeds and crop residues is a

consideration

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Seedbed Preparation

Can increase availability of soil nutrients

Should not be overworked

Fineness of seedbed is dependent on size of

seed

Should contain enough fertility to

encourage germination and growth

Control and elimination of weeds, insects,

and diseases is an important consideration

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Seedbed Preparation

Three categories of tillage preparation:

Conventional tillage-land is plowed with a moldboard

plow

Minimum tillage-seedbed is prepared only enough so

that the seed can make contact with the soil and germinate

No-till-planting seeds directly into the residue of the

previous crop

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Planting Field Crops

Three general types of planters:

Row crop planters-plant seeds in precise rows with even spacing

within the rows

Drill planters-plant seeds in narrow rows at high population rates

Broadcast planters-scatter the seed in a random pattern on top of the

seedbed

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Planting Field Crops

Other considerations include:

Date to plant

Germination rate of seeds

Uniformity of seed

Weather conditions

Insect and disease control problems

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Meeting Water Needs of Crops

Ideally 1/2 of pore space is filled with water

About 1/2 of the water in the pore spaces

are available for plant use

Factors affecting water availability include:

Type of soil

Natural rainfall

Water-table levels

Prevailing winds

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Irrigation may be the answer to obtaining profitable yields

Irrigation has been practiced for over 5,000 years

Egyptians used water from the Nile River for irrigation

Chinese and Native Americans used irrigation

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Major methods of supplying irrigation water

to crops:

Sprinklers-spray water through the air, much

like rainfall

Surface irrigation-water gets to the crop by

gravity, flowing over the surface of the soil or

in ditches or furrows

Subsurface irrigation-supplies water to the

roots of crops underground

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Pest Control in Field Crops

Control of pests in field crops

often determines profits

Pests include:

Diseases

Weeds

Insects

Animals

Economic losses total billions

of dollars each year

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Pest Control in Field Crops

Three main categories of losses:

Reduced yields

Reduced quality

Spoilage

Methods of controlling pests in field crops:

Mechanical pest control Genetic control

Cultural pest control Chemical control

Biological pest control

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Mechanical Pest Control

Anything that affects the environment of the pest or the pest

itself

Cultivation is the normal mechanical control of weeds

Other types include:

Pulling or mowing weeds

Use of screens, barriers, traps, and electricity

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Cultural Control

Adapting farming practices to control pests

Includes:

Timing farming operations to eliminate pests

Rotating crops

Planting resistant varieties

Planting trap crops that are more attractive to insects than

is the primary crop

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Biological Control

Involves the use of predators or diseases as the control

mechanisms

Examples:

Release of sterile male insects

Uses of baits and repellents

Important that the control be specific to the intended pest

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Genetic Control

Development of varieties of crops that are resistant to pests

May involve making the crop less attractive to pest because

of:

Taste

Shape

Blooming time

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Chemical Control

Involves the use of pesticides to control pests

Excellent management practices must be exercised

Care in pest identification and selection of the chemical are

important

Dosage, runoff, and pesticide residues need to be monitored

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Harvesting and Storing Field Crops

Harvesting at proper stage of

maturity is a key to maximizing

profits

Culmination of a growing

season of work and anticipation

of the rewards of a job well

done

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Development of mechanical harvesting equipment

Primary harvesting machine is the combine which performs

the tasks of:

Cutting the crop

Threshing the crop

Separating crop from debris

Cleaning the crop

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Threats to quality of stored crops include:

Heat

Moisture

Fungi

Insects

Rodents

Production of field crops generates more income

for American agriculturists than any other

production enterprise

classification of field...

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