Introduction to Major Field Crops

Sowing

Seed Rate
Seed rate of five kilogram of healthy and well filled bold seeds are required per hectare.

Spacing
Reduce the plant population radically by spacing the hills widely and squarely so that both the roots and canopy have room to grow and access nutrients, sunlight, etc. The recommended spacing is 25 cm x 25 cm.

Method of Sowing
Nursery: Select about 100 m2 nursery area preferably nearer to the main field. Prepare five beds of 1 m x 20 m/ha with sufficient provision for irrigation and drainage channels (30 cm). Prepare raised beds of 8-10 cm height by taking the soil from channels as the roots of 8-12 day old seedlings grow up to 7.5 cm deep. Apply farm yard manure or vermicompost and mix it thoroughly.

Soak the selected seeds for 12 hours in water and drain the water. Incubate it in a gunny bag for about 24 hours to facilitate just sprouting. Broadcast the sprouted seeds on the raised bed and grow them as like in conventional method.

Fig: Nursery.

Transplanting:

Very young seedlings should be used, to preserve the plant’s inherent growth potential for rooting and tillering. At the time of transplanting there should not be any standing water in the field. It is desirable to take up planting a day after final land preparation. Make intersections of 25 cm x 25 cm distance for facilitating square transplanting of seedlings by running appropriate marker over the prepared field both lengthwise and width wise (crisscross). Transplant 8-12 days seedlings (2-3 leaf stage). It takes around 15-18 days during winter season. Remove the seedlings by scooping out with the help of a thin metal sheet by inserting below the seed bed to get seedlings intact with seed and soil without damaging roots and avoid transplanting shock. Place one young seedling per hill at each intersection of 25 cm x 25 cm very gently at shallow depth (2-3 cm). Interval between uprooting and planting should be less (not beyond one hour) and hence keep the nursery nearer to the main field.

Fig: Roller marker. Fig: Wooden marker.

Fig: Marking the field.

Fig: Seedlings ready for transplanting.

Fig: Initial growth stage.

Fig: Tillering stage.

Fig: Profused tillering.

Fig: Comparison of root growth
(Conventional v/s S.R.I.)