1. FOOD CROPS WHEAT/ MILLETS/ PULSES
Subtitle

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.