Soil Preparation


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Soil Preparation

Soil preparation: Soil is the main medium in which plants grow. Roots of plants absorb water, air and vital nutrients from soil. In order to ensure that these are readily available to the roots, the soil is ‘prepared’ before growing a crop. Soil preparation involves ploughing, leveling and applying fertilizers.

Ploughing:  The process of loosening and turning the soil is called or ploughing or tilling. This process is important because of the following reasons:

  • It allows the roots to reach deeper into the soil. This helps to fix the plant more firmly to the ground.
  • It helps in trapping air in the soil, which is necessary for roots to ‘breathe’.
  • It helps the soil to retain moisture for a longer duration.
  • It helps in bringing nutrient-rich soil to the top.
  • It helps the soil to mix well with fertilizers.
  • It helps in the removal of undesirable plants called weeds.
  • Organisms like earthworms also in ‘Ploughing’ the field, as their burrowing action helps in loosening and turning the soil. These organisms also help in the decay of dead plants and animals in the soil. This process leads to the formation of a substance called humus, which is rich in nutrients for plants. Nowadays, implements called cultivators, which are driven by tractors, are increasingly being used for ploughing. This saves both time and effort. Tools used for ploughing are:

  • Plough : It is the most ancient method for ploughing the seed. It contains a triangular iron rod which of woods or is called Ploughshare. Then there is long log of wood called ploughshaft.
  • Hoe : Hoe are bladed tools that have a long rod  of  wood has a fixed strong blade and a bent plate of iron that works like a blade. The other end is attatched to a beam that is placed on a pair of bull during ploughing the field.
  • Cultivator: It is the modern method of ploughing done these days. It involves the use of trator to drive cultivator. It saves labour and time. 
  • Leveling:  Even after ploughing, big lumps of soil (called crumbs) may remain in the field. These are crushed using wooden or iron planks called levelers and this process is called leveling. After ploughing, the fuel is levelled with the help of leveller. It is because the ploughed soil is quite loose, so it is liable to be carried away by strong winds or washed away by rain water. The ploughed soil is levelled by pressing it with wooden leveller. Importance of levelling:

  • It prevents the top of fertile soil from being carried away by strong winds or washed away by rain water.
  • It helps in uniform distribution of water in fields during irrigation.
  • It prevents the loss of moisture from ploughed soil.
  • Sample Questions
    (More Questions for each concept available in Login)
    Question : 1

    Which of the following are parts of Ploughing ?

    Right Option : D
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    Explanation
    Question : 2

    Mansi noticed that her potted plant was not growing healthy. She put few earthworms into the pot. After a few a few weeks, she noticed that her plants looked healtheir. What could be the possible reason for this ?

    Right Option : D
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    Explanation
    Question : 3

    Which of the following soil require less irrigation?

    Right Option : D
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    Explanation
     
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