Crops and Cropping System
authored by: Kajal Sengupta & Rajesh Khan
Hardback
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This book is an attempt to enlighten the learners and to inculcate, among them and other concerned persons, the importance and influence of cropping system on sustainable crop production. The smooth order, clear explanation and simple presentation are expected to help the readers understanding the subject in a better way.
Kajal Sengupta (born in 1958), Professor of Agronomy, completed his school level education in 1975 and for his brilliant result in Higher Secondary examination he obtained Merit Prize and Merit Certificate. He got National Science Talent Search (N.S.T.S.) Scholarship (under N.S.T.S. scheme 1975) and enjoyed the scholarship throughout his academic carrier - up to Ph.D. level. He also got Merit Certificate for securing 1st class 1st position in M.Sc. (Ag.) examination. He is a Fellow of Indian Society of Pulses Research and Development, Kanpur, (at I.I.P.R., U.P.). He got Gold Medal Award of Crop and Weed Science Society (CWSS, Nadia, West Bengal).
After retirement (from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV), Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal) he joined in Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) [Deemed University]. Presently he is Professor and Head of Agronomy Department at Faculty of Integrated Rural Development and Management (IRDM), Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI). He is former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Head, Department of Agronomy, BCKV, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. He had guided a big number of M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. He also acted as the Principal Investigator (PI) of several research projects. He has published many research papers in various national and international journals and popular extension articles in local papers and magazines / journals. He published many books and had contributed many book chapters. He regularly participates in various All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarsan (TV) programmes. He has a Professional Experience of more than 36 years. He is a Member of Academic Council / Expert / External Examiner of different Universities / Institutes and also a Peer Reviewer of different renowned journals.
Rajesh Khan (born in 1993), is a research scholar in the department of Agronomy at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. He acquired M.Sc. (Agronomy) with specialization in conservation tillage from the same university through ICAR placement in the year 2017 and B.Sc. (Agriculture) Hons. from Central Agricultural University, Imphal, India in the year 2011. He is passionate about resource conservation and sustainability in agriculture. Also, he has attended many national and international seminars / conferences related to agronomy, resource conservation and have bucketful experience of presenting in them. He has already published some research papers in various journals and popular extension articles in local papers and magazines / journals. He cleared ICAR-NET examination in the year 2018. Mr. Khan is going to submit his Ph. D. thesis within a short period.
1. Crop
2. Cropping System
3. Agro-forestry: An Age-old Land Use System
4. Assessment or Evaluation Through Indices
5. Terms and Definitions (Glossary)
6. Appendices
Appendix – I: Sorjan
Appendix – II: (MCQs)
Appendix – III: (Worksheets for Answering Questions)
The crops, crop sequences, their interaction with farm resources and management techniques used on a particular agricultural land over a period of years are very important to derive benefits from a given resource base under a specific environmental condition.
Crop: Plants grown in association, sown (or planted) and also harvested by human being, are collectively known as crop. Crop plants have some economic values and there is an interaction or competition among the plants.
System is a set of principles or procedures according to which management is done; it is an organized scheme or method. A system is a group of interrelated or interacting elements (crops or livestock) that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole.
Definition: Agro-forestry is a land use system where woody perennials (or trees) are deliberately grown in conjunction with field crops, horticultural crops and pasture, with the objective of meeting various requirements of the farmers from the farm; it also acts as an insurance against the risk of uncertain / abnormal weather condition
The main objective of cropping system is to utilize the available resources in an efficient manner. There are several indices to evaluate the yield advantage of cropping system and also to compare the efficiency of different cropping system in terms of land use.
Till date, there is no complete agreement on the terms used in cropping system. An attempt was made to standardize the terms and their usage at the symposium on Multiple Cropping held by the American Society of Agronomy, in Knoxville, Tennessee, during August, 1975. Some definitions published in the proceeding (Andrews and Kassam, 1976) which forms the basis for the improvement and additions of definitions made subsequently (Francis, 1989). The terms commonly used in cropping system and their definitions are given in the following paragraphs.
Sorjan, an indigenous technology of Indonesia, is a series of sinks or canals alternating with raised beds. Sorjan, developed by Indonesian farmers, is a system that constructs an alternate of deep sinks and raised beds. Its features can adapt to both dry and wet seasons. Rice is usually planted in the sinks and a wide variety of upland crops is grown in the raised beds.
Agriculture, Cultivation, Harvesting, Irrigation, Crop Rotation, Precision Farming, Agribusiness, Sustainable Farming, Soil Management, Agronomy, Crop Yield, Pest Control, Organic Farming, Cover Crops, Genetically Modified Crops, Diversification, Hybrid Seeds, Tillage, Fertilization, Crop Residue, Planting Techniques, Field Crops, Crop Insurance, Crop Monitoring, Inter Cropping