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Agricultural crops: grains, vegetables, industrial crops

Agricultural crops are those cultivated by farmers and large agro-industrial enterprises to obtain food, livestock feed, and technological raw materials. There are several main types of such plants. Of course, the cultivation of agricultural crops must be carried out in strict compliance with certain technologies.

Main types

Most agricultural enterprises have a wide specialization and grow a wide variety of crops. These can be grains, vegetables, fruit trees, root crops, etc. But most often in Russia the following crops are cultivated:

wheat, barley, rye and oats;
potato;
sunflower;
forage grasses;
sugar beet.

These are the main types of agricultural crops in our country. Of course, domestic farmers sometimes grow vegetables. Such crops are most often cultivated in greenhouses.

Grain growing technology

When cultivating oats, wheat, barley and rye, agricultural enterprises carry out the following activities:

Sowing dates

Grain crops can be cultivated in winter or spring. In the first case, sowing takes place in the autumn, in the second - in the spring. The most important task when growing grain crops is to determine the timing of planting seeds into the soil. They should be selected so that winter grains reach the tillering phase before the onset of cold weather and form at least 3-4 shoots. Therefore, the optimal time for sowing grain crops in the non-chernozem zone of Russia is the first ten days of September. Sometimes planting is carried out at the end of August. When cultivating spring crops, the sowing time is determined by the condition of the soil. Most often, grains are planted in mid- or late April.

Plowing the land

Tillage of the soil before sowing grain is carried out so that as much post-harvest residue as possible remains on the surface. This is necessary in order to avoid erosion and retain as much moisture as possible in the ground.

In most cases, various types of mineral fertilizers are applied during plowing. Next, early spring harrowing is carried out for spring crops, and pre-sowing cultivation is carried out for winter crops.

Sowing seeds

After the soil has been prepared, the actual planting of the crops takes place. In this case, only healthy, undamaged seeds that meet the stipulated standards are used. Before sowing, they are treated to avoid infection with fungal, bacterial and other diseases. Winter grain crops are grown from seeds from the previous year's harvest. For their storage, special funds are created at agricultural enterprises. Freshly collected seeds are rarely used when planting. The fact is that they have reduced germination. At the final stage of planting, the seeds are rolled to improve their contact with the soil.

Grain care

Subsequently, to obtain a good harvest, the following activities are carried out:

Protection of grains from pests and diseases. As necessary, treat with fungicides and insecticides.
Removing weeds. In this case, grain crops are treated with herbicides.
Feeding. Grains are fertilized during the season, usually using nitrogenous compounds.

Harvest

This operation can be performed in two ways: directly or separately. Two-phase harvesting is performed for unevenly ripened, laid down or heavily clogged crops. In all other cases, the usual direct combining is performed.

Potato cultivation technology

Grain crops are the main type of plants cultivated by domestic agricultural enterprises. However, potatoes are also quite widespread. The technology for cultivating this crop includes the following stages:

soil preparation;
landing;
plant care;
harvesting.

Land preparation and planting

Potato plots are usually chosen with loose soil that allows moisture and air to pass through well. Only in such areas can good yields of this crop be obtained. The best predecessors for potatoes are winter grains, corn, perennial and annual grasses.

The soil for potatoes is usually prepared in the fall. At the same time, plowing is carried out (autumn plowing) with the application of fertilizers. In April, the soil surface is leveled and early spring harrowing is carried out.

Only healthy, undamaged large and medium-sized tubers are used for sowing. 10-12 days before planting, they are unloaded from storage and sorted. Next, the tubers are germinated or simply dried. Sometimes before planting, potatoes are treated with ash, mineral fertilizers and fungicides.

Tubers are planted only in well-warmed soil. At the same time, 55-60 thousand bushes are placed per 1 hectare. Early varieties are usually planted more densely, late varieties less often. The landing itself can be ridge, semi-ridge or smooth. The first two methods are more often used on wet or heavy soils. The ridges are cut a few days before planting.

Potato care

The first shoots of this crop appear in about two to three weeks. During smooth planting in agricultural enterprises, harrowing is carried out. It can be carried out before germination or after germination. In the future, caring for potatoes comes down to hilling and weeding. The first operation is performed twice per season: when the height of the bushes is 15-18 cm and before flowering. Weeding is carried out as needed. Plantings of agricultural crops of this variety, among other things, must be periodically treated against late blight (fungicides) and the Colorado potato beetle (Decis, Volaton).

Cleaning

The ripening time of tubers depends primarily on the potato variety. To facilitate mechanical harvesting in agricultural enterprises, the tops are usually mowed. This operation is performed in 3-5 days. Cleaning itself can be done in three ways:

direct combining - on light crops;
using separate technology - on heavy soils;
in a combined way.

Before storing, seed tubers are kept in the light for 10-12 days until light greening occurs. Table potatoes are dried in air for several hours. Of course, like any other major crop, potatoes must be stored correctly. Place the tubers for the winter in dark, cool rooms in bulk or in boxes.

Sunflower cultivation technology

This crop is usually grown after winter and spring grains. Pre-sowing preparation of land for sunflowers includes operations such as plowing, harrowing and leveling the soil with special drags. Cultivation is carried out at a seed planting depth (6-10 cm). Manure is usually used as fertilizer for plowing. Sometimes mineral fertilizers can be used (depending on the composition of the soil).

For sowing, seeds of registered varieties and hybrids with a germination rate of at least 95% are used. Planting is done in well-warmed soil at the rate of 30-50 thousand plants per hectare. Sowing is carried out in a dotted manner. At the final stage, the sections are rolled.

Sunflower care in our country is carried out using exclusively mechanized methods. The first operation to be carried out is harrowing before and after germination, with simultaneous weeding and the use of herbicides. Further sunflower care includes procedures such as:

Fight against empty grain. To do this, hives are placed throughout the plot at a rate of 1.5-2 per hectare.
Pest and disease control using chemicals.

Harvesting occurs after the back of the baskets turns yellow. The reed flowers should fall off. Sunflower, like most other agricultural crops, is harvested using special combines.

Technology of growing forage grasses

Agricultural crops in this group can be cultivated as pasture or for hay or silage. There are many types of forage grasses. But most often in our country alfalfa, clover, vetch and legumes are grown. The technology of their cultivation, like any other agricultural crops, includes soil preparation, sowing, care and harvesting.

A special feature of growing herbs is a very deep, 25-30 cm, plowing (due to long roots), the possibility of sowing perennial crops under the cover of annual ones and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers during the growth period. Plants are harvested in the budding or flowering phase.

Growing sugar beets

About 21 thousand hectares of arable land are used for this crop in Russia. The optimal depth for plowing the land for beets is 25-30 cm. This type of tillage is carried out in the fall - usually in September. At the same time, manure is applied in an amount of 40-80 t/ha. Treated seeds are used for sowing. Planting is carried out to a depth of 25-35 mm, depending on the type of soil, using special seeders. Caring for beets consists mainly of weeding or using herbicides, as well as protecting plants from pests and diseases using chemicals. Harvesting of this crop usually begins on September 20-25. In this case, in-line, transshipment or combined technologies can be used. The last two methods are usually used in areas with increased contamination.

Growing vegetables in greenhouses

A feature of cultivating crops of this variety in closed ground is the periodic use of fertilizing and replacement of soil. After all, the soil in greenhouses is depleted very quickly. Also, in such farms maximum attention should be paid to pest and disease control. Infections spread very quickly in closed ground conditions. Seeds of agricultural crops of this variety must be treated before planting.

Most often, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and melons are grown indoors. The greenhouses themselves can be film, glass or polycarbonate. Among other things, when growing vegetable crops, special attention is paid to selecting them for compatibility. This takes into account factors such as fertilizing and irrigation regimes, climatic conditions, the need for pollination, frequency of ventilation, etc.

Varieties and hybrids

Farms and large agricultural enterprises mainly grow only varieties of agricultural crops included in the state register. The exception is experimental stations where breeding work is carried out. When breeding new varieties, the following methods can be used:

selection with consolidation of certain valuable characteristics;
hybridization in breeding nurseries.

The resulting varieties and hybrids are tested and, if their value for agriculture is established, they are entered into the state register.

Growing crops, therefore, must be done on well-prepared soils, using suitable fertilizers and the best varieties of seeds. In the absence of violations of technology, even in the case of unfavorable weather conditions, it is possible to obtain good harvests and at the same time avoid such negative consequences as erosion and soil depletion.