MINERAL NUTRITION OF PLANT Plants require different elements or minerals for their proper growth and development. The utilization of different  elements in the nutrition of plants is called mineral nutrition of plants.  ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS All elements present in soil can enter into plants but all of them are not essential for plants. Those elements which are indispensable for plants are called essential elements.   CRITERIA FOR ESSENTIALITY OF ELEMENTS ARNON and STOUT (1939) have given following three criteria for the essentiality of elements. These are:- •  ..read more

DEFINITION   OF TILLAGE  Tillage is the physical treatment of soil with tools and implements to result in good tilth for better germination of seeds and subsequent growth of crops. Father of tillage -  JETHRO TULL TILTH Tilth is a physical condition of the soil resulting from tillage practice. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD TILTH }  There is higher percentage of larger aggregates i.e. more than 5mm in diameter for irrigated agriculture. }  For dry land agriculture, there is higher percentage of small aggregates i.e. 1 – 2 mm in diameter. }  A soil with good tilth ..read more

  Cropping System A system is defined as a set of components interacting with each other. The cropping pattern followed or used on a farm and their interaction with farm resources, other farm enterprises and available technologies, which determine their makeup is called as cropping system. Cropping Pattern Proportion of area under various crops at a point of time in a unit area is called as cropping pattern.                                ..read more

  SOWING   Placing of seed into soil in suitable condition for proper germination and growth is called as Sowing. Methods of Sowing 1. Broadcasting 2. Line Sowing– it is of two types a. Ridge Sowing b. Flat sowing – it is of three types I. By Deshi plough II. Dibbling III. Drilling 3. Planting 4. Transplanting  Broadcasting method of sowing:  It is not scientific method, requires higher seed rate, Wastage / loss of seeds, low production due to not maintaining of proper planting space , planting geometry and sowing depth. This method may be used in sowing of forag ..read more

Image source | Google DEFINITION The practice of growing different crops in succession on same piece of land in a definite period in order to avoid loss of soil fertility is called as crop rotation. ·  The period of Crop Rotation may be from one year to four years but normally one to three year duration is preferred. ·  The Rotational Intensity or Crop Rotation Intensity may range from 100 to 400%.   Father of CR – Nor Fork TYPES OF CROP ROTATION ·       Depending upon duration, Crop Rotation is of three types : 1. One year rota ..read more

Cereal Crop  (Wheat)   DEFINITIONS CROP  The group of plants having economic importance                                                       OR ·       The group of plants grown by men for own consumption             &n ..read more

What is "Genetics" ? The word genetics  is derived from the Greek root genwhich means " to become" or "to grow into". Thus the derivation of the word indicates that genetics deals with heredity and variation. Heredity includes those traits or characteristics which are transmitted from one generation to next generation and is , therefor fixed for a particular individual. Variation on the other hand, are mainly of two types, namely 1. Heredity and 2. Environmental. Hereditary variations are transmitted from generation to generation, environmental variations are temporary and have nothing ..read more

Insects Antennae Definition They are paired freely mobile segmented appendages articulated with the head in front of or between the eyes. Antennae are also known as feelers. They are multi segmented, and may be divided into 3 parts: (i) Scape - It is basal segment of antenna, by which it is attached with the head. (ii) Pedicel - It is the second segment of antenna which is shorter than scape. It bears sensory apparatus known as Johnston organ. (iii) Flagellum - The remaining divisions of antenna together constitute the flagellum which varies greatly in its form and structure accordi ..read more

Head Of Insects Head of insects This is an anterior part of the body formed by the fusion of six segments viz., ocellary, antennal, intercalary, mandibular, maxillary and labial. All these segments are closely amalgamated to form a hard case or head capsule. Types of insects head The head generally assumes the  following three definite positions with the body axis : (i) Hypognathus:- In this position the long axis of the head is vertical and mouth parts are ventral. The median line of the head forms nght angle with the median line of the body e.g. grasshopper.  Grass ..read more

BODY WALL The upper most layer of the body is known as body wall or the integument, which serves as an exoskeleton and the only alternative in insects in place of internal skeleton of vertebrates.  Typically, the body wall of an insect is composed of following three distinct layers :  (i) The cuticle  (ii) The epidermis or hypodermis  (iii)The basement membrane The Cuticle  It is an outermost layer of the body which is a complex, noncellular layer mostly secrected by the hypodermis. It also serves a lining to the fore and hind intestine, tracheae and the other parts ..read more