FOOD CROPS WHEAT MILLETS PULSES SUBT IT LE

FOOD CROPS WHEAT/ MILLETS/ PULSES SUBT IT LE

FACTS ON WHEAT • SECOND MOST IMPORTANT FOOD CROP OF INDIA AFTER RICE. • STAPLE FOOD OF PEOPLE IN NORTH AND NORTH-WESTERN INDIA. • INDIA – FOURTH LARGEST PRODUCER IN THE WORLD. • IS A TEMPERATE CROP AND SO IS CULTIVATED AS A RABI CROP – IN WINTER. • CANNOT BE CULTIVATED IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIA BECAUSE THE MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURE IS HIGH.

METHODS OF WHEAT CULTIVATION • SOWING • GROWTH & HARVESTING – • GROWTH- DEC, JAN, FEB. • MOST OF HARVESTING IN APRIL/ MAY • - MANUAL HARVESTING – SICKLE USED OR ANIMALS MADE TO TRAMPLE TO SEPARATE GRAINS. • - MECHANISED HARVESTING • - COMBINE – USED FOR THRESHING AND HARVESTING

FACTS ON MILLETS • EXAMPLES = JOWAR/ RAGI/ BAJRA • MILLET IS COMMON NAME FOR SEVERAL SPECIES OF THE GRASS FAMILY. • KHARIF CROP – MAINLY RAINFED. • ALSO KNOWN AS DRY CROP AS THEY DO NOT NEED MUCH RAINFALL. • THE GRAIN IS USED AS FOOD BY HUMANS & LEAVES AND STALK USED AS FODDER FOR LIVESTOCK. • AREA UNDER MILLET CULTIVATION HAS DECREASED BECAUSE MORE PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO HIGH VALUE CROPS.

METHODS OF MILLET CULTIVATION • SOWN IN VARIETY OF SOILS INCLUDING RED, LOAMY, ALLUVIAL SOILS. • BEST SOIL FOR MILLETS = BLACK CLAYEY LOAMS OF THE PENINSULA. • BAJRA GROWN ON POOR , LIGHT, SANDY SOIL. • RAGI GROWN INDRAINED ALLUVIAL LOAMS/ RED/ BLACK SOIL.

FACTS ON PULSES • INCLUDE LEGUMINOUS CROPS LIKE CHANNA/ TUR/ MASSOR/ URAD/ MOONG AND PEAS. • VERY GOOD SOURCE OF PROTIEN IN A VEGETARIAN DIET. • HELP IN RESTORING SOIL FERTILITY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN BACTERIA IN THE ROOTS OF PULSES PLANTS, WHICH HAVE AN ABILITY TO FIX ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN TO FORM NITROGEN COMPOUNDS. • KHARIF PULSES = TUR/ URAD & MOONG • RABI PULSES = MASOOR/ GRAM/ PEAS

METHODS OF PULSES CULTIVATION • SOWING • - IN ALL TYPES OF SOIL BUT DRY SOIL IS MOST SUITABLE IN AREAS OF LOW TO MODERATE RAINFALL. • TOO MUCH RAIN AFTER SOWING AND DURING FLOWERING IS DAMAGING. • NEEDS 20 TO 30 DEGREES CELSIUS TEMPERATURE. • HARVESTING – AFTER 4 TO 5 MONTHS – PLANTS PULLED OUT WHEN LEAVES BECOME DRY AND BEGIN TO SHED. • PLANTS ARE DRIED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN THRESHED BY TRAMPLING UNDER FEET OF BULLOCKS OR BEATING WITH A STICK.