Agriculture: The applied branch of biology that deals with the cultivation of plants and rearing of animals

are called agriculture. Generally, the art or practice of cultivating land is referred to as agriculture. The
branch of agriculture that deals with food, health and management of animals are known as animal
husbandry.
• Crop: When plants of the same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale is called a
crop.
• Crops are also classified on the basis of the seasons as given below:
▸ Kharif Crops: The crops which are grown during the monsoon (rainy) season (June-September) are
called Kharif crops. Examples are maize, millet (bajra) and cotton crops. Seeds of these crops are sown at
the beginning of the monsoon season. After maturation, these crops are harvested at the end of the
monsoon season (Oct.-Nov.).
▸ Rabi Crops: Crops which are grown during the winter season (October-March) are called rabi crops.
For example, wheat, gram and mustard. Seeds of these crops are sown at the beginning of the winter
season. After the maturation of crops, they are harvested at the end of the winter season (April-May).
• Agricultural Practices: All activities which farmers do for the cultivation of plants are called
agricultural practices.
For doing various activities, a farmer needs different types of tools. These tools which are involved in
the cultivation of plants are called agricultural implements. Farmers perform agricultural practices in a
sequence.
• Various Agricultural Practices:
(i) Preparation of soil
(ii) Sowing
(iii) Adding manure and fertilizers
(iv) Irrigation
(v) Protection from weeds
(vi) Harvesting
(vii) Storage.
• Agricultural Implements:
▸ Plough
▸ Hoe
▸ Cultivator
▸ Seed drill
• Implements used for traditional ways of Irrigation:
(a) Moat
(b) Dhekli
(c) Rahat
(d) Chain pump and
(e) Motor pumps
• Basic Practices of Crop Production
▸ Preparation of Soil: Before sowing the crop seeds, the soil of fields is loosened and overturned.
This process is called ploughing or tilling. Ploughing causes ventilation of soil and makes it suitable
for the growth of small organisms living in it.
▸ Plough: A large farming implement with one or more blades fixed in a frame, used to turn over
and cut furrows in soil, is called a plough. Plough may be made of only wood, wood and iron, and of iron
only.

▸ Ploughshare: The main cutting blade of a plough.

▸ Hoe: A tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil.

▸ Cultivator: Nowadays ploughing is done by a tractor driven cultivator. The use of a cultivator
saves labour and time.
 ▸ Sowing of Seeds: For sowing, farmers obtain certified seeds from State Agriculture Department and
Seed Corporation. Sometimes, farmers also select seeds from their own crops. For the selection of seeds of
most of the crops, seeds are put into a bucket of water. The seeds which float on water are rejected. These
seeds are defective. The seeds which remain submerged in water are selected for sowing. The selected
seeds are treated with chemicals such as agrosan or ceresan. This chemical treatment protects seedlings
from seed-borne diseases. Seeds are sown either by hand-broadcasting (spreading) or by seed drills. A
type of seed drill, commonly used, is a long iron pipe having a funnel at the top. It is tied at the back of the
plough.
A farmer does ploughing and simultaneously releases seeds from the funnel. Seeds thus released
pass through the iron pipe to the soil furrows which are formed by the plough.
▸ Adding Manure and Fertilizers: Like other plants, crop plants also obtain their mineral nutrients
from the soil. Continuous growing of crops in the field causes a deficiency of mineral nutrients in the soil.
So, manure is added to the soil to make up for the deficiency of mineral nutrients. This process is called
manuring. Manure is prepared from cow dung, urine and other wastes.
Sometimes, the soil becomes deficient in particular mineral nutrients. This happens when the same
crop is grown in the same field year after year. For example, a particular crop takes more phosphate. If this
crop is grown in a field every year, the soil will become deficient in phosphorus nutrients. This type of
deficiency of a particular nutrient is made up by adding chemical substances called fertilizers. For
example, urea, superphosphate and NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).
Differences between Manure and Fertilizers
 Fertilizer Manure

Fertilizer is an inorganic salt Manure is prepared from organic matter such as human
waste, cow dung and farm waste

Fertilizers are manufactured in Manures can be prepared on farms

factories

Fertilizers are added in comparatively Manures need to be added in large quantities as the
smaller quantities nutrient content is less

Fertilizers do not provide any humus to Manures provide a lot of humus to the soil
the soil

▸ Irrigation: The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation. The time and
frequency of irrigation vary from crop to crop, soil to soil and season to season.

• Methods of Irrigation
▸ Traditional methods:
— Moat (pulley-system)
— Chain pump
— Dhekli — Rahat
▸ Modern methods:
— Sprinkler system
— Drip system

• Protection from Weed

The unwanted plants in the fields are called weeds. Seeds of these weeds spread through the agencies
like air, water, birds and other animals. Weeds share the water, sunlight, space, and nutrients with the
crop plants. Thus they compete with the crop plants. Therefore, their removal is necessary. Otherwise,
crop plants do not get sufficient space, water, sunlight and nutrient to grow healthier. Weeds are weeded
out either by hand or with the help of an implement called a harrow. Nowadays, for checking the growth of
weeds, certain chemicals are used. These chemicals are called weedicides, such as 2, 4-D.
Harvesting and Threshing: When crops pet matured, they usually turn yellow or golden or brown. This is
the time when crops should be cut. Cutting crops is known as harvesting. Harvesting is either done
manually by a sickle or by a machine called a harvester. The harvested crop is further dried and then
animals such as bullocks, buffaloes, and camels are made to walk over it. The grains are separated from
the chaff with the help of wind (winnowing). The whole process of separation of the grains from the
harvested crop is known as threshing.
•
 Big farmers use huge machines known as combines which do both harvesting and threshing.

• Special festivals associated with the harvest seasons are: Pongal, Baishakhi, Holi, Diwali, Nabanya
and Bihu.
 ▸ Storage: Grains obtained by threshing are dried in the open. The dried grains are stored in gunny
bags, and placed in properly ventilated cemented halls, known as godowns. Farmers keep dried grains in
jute bags or metallic bins or mud bins. Large scale storage of grains is done in silos and granaries. For
storing large quantities of grains in big godowns, specific chemical treatments are used to protect them
from pests and microorganisms.

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen cycle is an important part of the ecosystem. In this article, we shall explore its implications
on the environment in detail.

Nitrogen Cycle Definition

“Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process which transforms the inert nitrogen present in the
atmosphere to a more usable form for living organisms.”

Furthermore, nitrogen is a key nutrient element for plants. However, the abundant nitrogen in the
atmosphere cannot be used directly by plants or animals. Read on to explore how the Nitrogen cycle
makes usable nitrogen available to plants and other living organisms.

What is the Nitrogen Cycle?

Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process through which nitrogen is converted into many forms,
consecutively passing from the atmosphere to the soil, to the organism and back into the atmosphere.
It involves several processes such as nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, decay and
putrefaction.
Nitrogen gas exists in both organic and inorganic forms. Organic nitrogen exists in living organisms,
and they get passed through the food chain by the consumption of other living organisms.
Inorganic forms of nitrogen are found in abundance in the atmosphere. This nitrogen is made
available to plants by symbiotic bacteria which can convert the inert nitrogen into a usable form –
such as nitrites and nitrates.
Nitrogen undergoes various types of transformation to maintain a balance in the ecosystem.
Furthermore, this process extends to various biomes, with the marine nitrogen cycle being one of the
most complicated biogeochemical cycles.
Nitrogen Cycle Explained – Stages of Nitrogen Cycle
The Process of the Nitrogen Cycle consists of the following steps – Nitrogen fixation, Nitrification,
Assimilation, Ammonification and Denitrification. These processes take place in several stages and are
explained below:

Nitrogen Fixation Process

It is the initial step of the nitrogen cycle. Here, Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) which is primarily available
in an inert form, is converted into the usable form -ammonia (NH3).
During the process of Nitrogen fixation, the inert form of nitrogen gas is deposited into soils from the
atmosphere and surface waters, mainly through precipitation. Later, the nitrogen undergoes a set of
changes, in which two nitrogen atoms get separated and combine with hydrogen to form ammonia
(NH4+).
The entire process of Nitrogen fixation is completed by symbiotic bacteria which are known as
Diazotrophs. Azotobacter and Rhizobium also have a major role in this process. These bacteria consist
of a nitrogenase enzyme which has the capability to combine gaseous nitrogen with hydrogen to form
ammonia.
 Nitrogen fixation can occur either by atmospheric fixation- which involves lightening or industrial
fixation by manufacturing ammonia under high temperature and pressure conditions this can also be
fixed through man-made processes, primarily industrial processes that create ammonia and nitrogen-
rich fertilizers.
Types of Nitrogen Fixation

1. Atmospheric fixation: A natural phenomenon where the energy of lightning breaks

the nitrogen into nitrogen oxides and is then used by plants.
2. Industrial nitrogen fixation: This is a man-made alternative that aids in nitrogen fixation by
the use of ammonia. Ammonia is produced by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen
and later, it is converted into various fertilizers such as urea.
3. Biological nitrogen fixation: We already know that nitrogen is not usable directly from the
air for plants and animals. Bacteria like Rhizobium and blue-green algae transform the
unusable
form of nitrogen into other compounds that are more readily usable. These
nitrogen compounds get fixed in the soil by these microbes.
Also Read: Nitrogen Fixation And Nitrogen Metabolism

Nitrification
In this process, the ammonia is converted into nitrate by the presence of bacteria in the soil. Nitrites
are formed by the oxidation of Ammonia with the help of Nitrosomonas bacterium species. Later, the
produced nitrites are converted into nitrates by Nitrobacter. This conversion is very important as
ammonia gas is toxic for plants.
The reaction involved in the process of Nitrification is as follows:
2NH4+ + 3O2 → 2NO2– + 4H+ + 2H2O
2NO2– + O2 → 2NO3–

Assimilation
Primary producers – plants take in the nitrogen compounds from the soil with the help of their roots,
which are available in the form of ammonia, nitrite ions, nitrate ions or ammonium ions and are used
in the formation of the plant and animal proteins. This way, it enters the food web when the primary
consumers eat the plants.

Ammonification
When plants or animals die, the nitrogen present in the organic matter is released back into the soil.
The decomposers, namely bacteria or fungi present in the soil, convert the organic matter back into
ammonium. This process of decomposition produces ammonia, which is further used for other
biological processes.

Denitrification
Denitrification is the process in which the nitrogen compounds makes their way back into the
atmosphere by converting nitrate (NO3-) into gaseous nitrogen (N). This process of the nitrogen cycle
is the final stage and occurs in the absence of oxygen. Denitrification is carried out by the denitrifying
bacterial species- Clostridium and Pseudomonas, which will process nitrate to gain oxygen and gives
out free nitrogen gas as a byproduct.
Importance of Nitrogen Cycle
The importance of the nitrogen cycle is as follows:
1. Helps plants to synthesize chlorophyll from the nitrogen compounds.
2. Helps in converting inert nitrogen gas into a usable form for the plants through the
biochemical process.
3. In the process of ammonification, the bacteria help in decomposing the animal and
plant matter, which indirectly helps to clean up the environment.
4. Nitrates and nitrites are released into the soil, which helps in enriching the soil with
the necessary nutrients required for cultivation.
5. Nitrogen is an integral component of the cell and it forms many crucial compounds
and important biomolecules.
Nitrogen is also cycled by human activities such as the combustion of fuels and the use of nitrogen
fertilizers. These processes, increase the levels of nitrogen-containing compounds in the atmosphere.
The fertilizers containing nitrogen are washed away in lakes and rivers and result in eutrophication.

Conclusion
● Nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere, but it is unusable to plants or animals unless it
is converted into nitrogen compounds.
● Nitrogen-fixing bacteria play a crucial role in fixing the atmospheric nitrogen into
nitrogen compounds that can be used by plants.
● The plants absorb the usable nitrogen compounds from the soil through their roots. Then,
these nitrogen compounds are used for the production of proteins and other compounds in
the cell.
● Animals assimilate nitrogen by consuming these plants or other animals that contain
nitrogen. Humans consume proteins from these plants and animals and then, the nitrogen
assimilates into our system.
● During the final stages of the nitrogen cycle, bacteria and fungi help decompose organic
matter, where the nitrogenous compounds get dissolved into the soil which is again used by
the plants.
● Some bacteria then convert these nitrogenous compounds into the soil and turn it into
nitrogen gas. Eventually, it goes back to the atmosphere.
● These sets of processes repeat continuously and thus maintain the percentage of nitrogen
in the atmosphere.

• Animal Husbandry: Food is also obtained from animals for which animals are reared and provided
with proper food, shelter and care. When done on a large scale, it is called animal husbandry.