PRACTICAL MANUAL ON CROP PRODUCTION (Cereals, Millets, Pulses and Fodders)

Cereals, pulses and fodders are considered as important source of food grains and livestock feed respectively, play pivotal role in Indian economy. Combination of cereals and pulses is said to be a balanced one as they supply protein on mutually inclusive basis. Pulses are chief source of protein and practical means of eradicating malnutrition among children and nursing mothers in India. The per capita availability of food grains is decelerating especially in pulses. Combined ration of cereal and legume forages is equally important for harnessing the livestock production in India. The qualitative and quantitative production of these components depend not only on scientific way of their cultivation but also methodical package of practices followed by cultivators. Keeping this in view, this manual provides a systematic way of cultivating these crops at field level especially for those without any farming background. The contents are crisp and this manual is useful for undergraduate students across the country. This manual is first of its kind in India for the course “Crop Production (Cereals, Millets, Pulses and fodders)”. Contents1. Allotment of Individual Fields for Land Preparation and Sowing of Crops 2. Calculation of Seedrate and Fertilizer Requirements 3. Rhizobium Inoculation and Seed Treatment 4. Thinning, Weeding, Gap Filling and Recording the Germination Percentage 5. Recording the Bio - Metric Observations 6. Time and Methods of Fertilizer Application 7. Methods of Raising Rice Nurseries 8. Identification of Crops, Crop Seeds including Forages 9. Study of Different Growth Stages of Crops 10. Study of Agronomic Characters of Rice and Pulse Crop Varieties 11. Study of Agronomic Characters of Cereals, Millets and Fodder Crop Varieties 12. Study of Sowing Methods of Rice 13. Harvesting of Crop in Individual Plots 14. Participation in Post Harvest Operations and Record of Yield 15. Visit to Forage Production Farm to Study the on going Experiments 16. Preparation of Hay and Silage About the AuthorM. Yakadri obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s (Agronomy) degrees from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. He did his Ph.D from IARI, New Delhi, the prestigious National Research Institute. He had been a high first class student throughout his academic career. He has over 16 years of work experience in teaching, research and extension. He has specialised in cropping systems research, fertility management of soil and other prominent areas of research in Agronomy. He has over 28 peer reviewed scientific papers published in reputed journals of National and International importance. He is a life member of several scientific journals related to Agronomy. He guided a number of Postgraduate students. He had undertaken responsibility in establishing an excellent instructional farm at Agricultural College, Aswaraopet, which is at present one of the best farms of the ANGRAU. Dr. K. Suneetadevi Obtained her bachelor’s, masters and Ph.D degrees from ANGRAU, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. She is the recipient of award & SRF for securing highest OGPA in M.Sc. She has 14 years of work experience in research, teaching and extension. She has specialised in forage production technology, irrigation water management and other prominent areas of research in Agronomy. She has over twenty scientific papers published in national and international journals.