A. Land Preparation PDF

Topic VI: Crop Production Practices 1 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  Topic VI: Crop Production Practices a. Land Preparation b. Planting Materials Selection and Preparation c. Water Management d. Plant Nutrit...

Topic VI: Crop Production Practices 1 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  Topic VI: Crop Production Practices a. Land Preparation b. Planting Materials Selection and Preparation c. Water Management d. Plant Nutrition e. Soil Nutrition Management f. Pest and Diseases Management g. Physical/ Chemical Control of Plant Growth and Development h. Harvesting i. Postproduction Technology 2 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  Topic VI: Crop Production Practices At the end of the lesson the student should be able to: Recall land preparation and the planting materials selection. Understand water management, plant nutrition, soil nutrition management, and pest and diseases management. Know the Physical/ Chemical Control of Plant Growth and Development and Harvesting. Identify different Postproduction Technology 3 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE a. Land Preparation 4  A. Land Preparation a combination of tillage practices that places the soil in the best physical condition for plant establishment and crop growth. 5 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation covers a range of soil disturbances from zero- tillage, which minimizes soil disturbance through to a totally ‘puddled’ soil, which actually destroys soil structure. 6 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Aims of Land Preparation Loosen the soil to facilitate the penetration of plant roots Improve aeration (N, O) Increase infiltration of water Reduce evaporation Destroy or control weeds and soil pests Incorporate crop residues and manures into the soil 7 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Aims of Land Preparation Prepare the site for seeds and seedlings. Repair soil compaction caused by previous activities. Decrease ped or clod size. Reduce wind and water erosion by leaving a rough surface. Stimulate microbial activity. 8 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation What is the appropriate tillage system, pattern and equipment for your field? 9 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation What is the appropriate tillage system, pattern and equipment for your field? 10 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Dry Tillage – manual, animal, or mechanical? 11 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Wet Tillage – manual, animal, or mechanical? 12 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  TILLAGE VS. CULTIVATION 13 CULTIVATION broadly refers to the practice of growing and tending to crops. It encompasses all activities involved in crop production, including soil preparation, planting, weeding, pest control, irrigation, and harvesting. 14  Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shoveling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking. 15  A. Land Preparation TYPES OF TILLAGE OPERATION Primary tillage Secondary tillage Seedbed preparation Inter tillage 16 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TYPES OF TILLAGE OPERATION a. Primary tillage the most aggressive tillage operation undertaken when the soil is wet enough to allow the field to be ploughed and strong enough to give reasonable levels of traction after the crop harvest or at the beginning of the next wet season includes the ploughing operation which is opening of the compacted soil with the help of different ploughs 17 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Ploughing 18 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Objectives of Primary tillage Open the hard soil Separate the top soil from lower layers Invert the soil whenever necessary Till the soil to attain a reasonable depth (10- 15cm ) with varying clod sizes Kill weeds by burying or cutting and exposing the roots Soil aeration and water accumulation Chop and incorporate crop residues 19 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Primary Tillage Implements: Moldboard plough causes total inversion of the soil sod and relies on the digging point for penetration throws the soil in one direction least damage to soil structure works well in very hard soil conditions but no built stump or obstacle protection 20 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Primary Tillage Implements: One-way disc used with 4-wheel tractor causes total inversion of the soil sod and relies on the ploughs in built weight for penetration throws the soil in one direction works well in hard soil and heavy trash conditions and can ride over stumps or obstacle in the soil Power requirement is less than a moldboard 21 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Primary Tillage Implements: Offset disc for 4-wheel tractor capable of operating offset from the tractor throws the soil in different direction very versatile and can be operated in any ploughing pattern widely used in upland situations 22 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Primary Tillage Implements: Tine plough most versatile used in secondary tillage modified to be used as a seed drill dry working situations cut the soil rather than invert the soil kill weeds by cutting and lifting the weeds to the surface lower power requirements 23 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TYPES OF TILLAGE OPERATION b. Secondary tillage any working completed after primary tillage shallower and less aggressive includes the operations performed after ploughing such as leveling, discing, harrowing etc. 24 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Secondary Tillage Implements: Peg tooth harrow used in animal and 2- wheel tractor powered systems for second workings, soil puddling and land leveling 25 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Secondary Tillage Implements: Disc cultivator used in dry fields and upland situations very aggressive action of the plough gives good weed control and cuts and buries crop residues 26 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Secondary Tillage Implements: Tined cultivator used for secondary tillage and as a seed drill dry working situations cut the soil rather than invert the soil kill weeds by cutting and lifting the weeds to the surface 27 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation Secondary Tillage Implements: Rotovator for secondary workings and especially seedbed preparation Upland and flooded fields very aggressive action, which pulverizes the soil and buries weeds and crop residues 28 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TYPES OF TILLAGE OPERATION c. Seedbed Preparation for germination of seeds & growth of crops, called as SEEDBED includes harrowing, leveling, compacting the soil, preparing irrigation layouts such as basins, borders, rides & furrows etc. carried out by using hand tools or implements 29 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE Pictorial view of open field nursery seedbed preparation Melkamu Alemayehu Workie College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Bahir Dar University Horticulture 30  A. Land Preparation TYPES OF TILLAGE OPERATION d. Inter tillage carried out in the standing crop after sowing or planting and prior to the harvesting of crop plants includes gap filling , thinning , weeding , mulching, top dressing of fertilizers, hoeing, earthling up etc. 31 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 32  A. Land Preparation TILLAGE PATTERNS reduces the time spent in non-productive work minimize the number of turns and maximize the length of the tillage runs circuitous, up and back or headland and working in lands 33 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TILLAGE PATTERNS Circuitous pattern used with moldboards, discs and offset discs most animals are accustomed to working ends up with a large cut out furrow in the center – difficult to drain and get an even depth of cultivation 34 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 35  A. Land Preparation TILLAGE PATTERNS Up and back or headland pattern runs parallel to each other used for tined implements, rotovators, harrows and reversible ploughs most field efficient system and if equipment is correctly set up and operated should not leave furrows in the field. 36 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 37  A. Land Preparation TILLAGE PATTERNS Land system ploughing to begin in the center of the field and works out to the edges Requires measurement of the field to establish the center point used with all types of ploughs 38 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 39  A. Land Preparation THE USE OF ANIMALS The advantages of using animals include: cheap to maintain multi-purpose use for meat and milk self-replacement and manure production 40 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation THE USE OF ANIMALS Disadvantage of using animals include: have limited daily working hours need feeding need protection against pests and disease. slow high person to power ratio limited range of working conditions require training 41 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation THE USE OF HUMAN POWER Tasks undertaken include: land preparation including ploughing, soil leveling and constructing levees and drains plant establishment pest control crop harvesting and transporting grain processing 42 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 43  A. Land Preparation THE USE OF MACHINES The advantages multi-purpose vehicle operate in harder conditions than animals or humans operate in both wet and dry conditions fairly simple mechanical design 44 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation THE USE OF MACHINES The disadvantages cost of owning and operating operator fatigue, although ride-on versions are now available. 45 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 46  A. Land Preparation NO TILLAGE one-pass planting and fertilizer operation soil and the surface residues are minimally disturbed (Parr et al. 1990) eliminate all pre-planting mechanical seedbed preparation only opening of a narrow (2-3 cm wide) strip or small hole in the ground for seed placement to ensure adequate seed/soil contact 47 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation NO TILLAGE Weed control thru herbicides and crop rotation soil surface is covered by crop residue mulch or killed sod appropriate for Luvisols in the humid tropics Wheat, coffee, others in some parts of USA Slow adoption 48 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation NO TILLAGE Advantage more effective control of soil erosion increased water storage lower energy costs per unit of production higher grain yields 49 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation NO TILLAGE Disadvantage chemical fallow heavy use of herbicides for weed control 50 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation MULCH TILLAGE causing least soil disturbance leaving the maximum of crop residue on the soil surface obtaining a quick germination, adequate stand and a satisfactory yield (Lal 1975, 1986) chisel plough can be used in the previously shredded crop residue to break open any hard crust or hard pan in the soil Coffee, banana, wheat, barley in USA 51 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 52  A. Land Preparation STRIP OR ZONAL TILLAGE seedbed is divided into a seedling zone and a soil management zone (Lal, 1973, 1983) the seedling zone (5 to 10 cm wide) is mechanically tilled to optimize the soil for germination and seedling establishment interrow zone is left undisturbed and protected by mulch also achieved by chiseling in the row zone to assist water infiltration and root proliferation. 53 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation RIDGE TILL soil is left undisturbed prior to planting one-third of the soil surface is tilled at planting with sweeps or row cleaners planting of row crops is done on preformed cultivated ridges weeds are controlled by herbicides maize and soybean production in the USA (Parr et al. 1990) 54 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation REDUCED OR MINIMUM TILLAGE tillage and cultivation systems not covered above but meets the 30% residue requirement (Laryea et al. 1991) Africa 55 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TILL OR NOT TO TILL? Tillage Improves aeration Incorporates crop residues Facilitates root penetration Suppresses weeds 56 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation TILL OR NOT TO TILL? Zero-tillage Improves soil structure Maintains soil organic matter Supports soil organism Prevents soil erosion 57 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE  A. Land Preparation REMEMBER: Soil cultivation can have positive or negative impact on soil fertility Frequent tillage can lead to decrease of soil organic matter, nutrient losses, and soil erosion Soil cultivation should aim on a minimum disturbance on soil life 58 CROP SCI 122: FUNDAMENTALS OF HORTICULTURE 59