Preparation of Soil & Sowing

• Agricultural practices — ploughing, levelling, manuring, sowing.
• Ploughing — loosens soil, aerates, brings nutrients up.
• Manure vs fertiliser — organic vs chemical nutrients.
• Sowing — quality seeds, seed drills, proper depth and spacing.

1. Tilling/ploughing — turns soil, uproots weeds, helps roots penetrate.
2. Levelling — uniform water distribution in irrigation.
3. Manure — compost, cow dung; improves soil structure and fertility.
4. Fertilisers — NPK chemicals; fast nutrient supply but overuse harms soil.
5. Sowing — good varieties, treat seeds (fungicide), use seed drill for uniform depth.
6. Real world — kharif vs rabi crops; Green Revolution high-yield varieties.

Steps before growing wheat crop

Step 1 — Plough field after previous harvest.
Step 2 — Add compost/manure and mix.
Step 3 — Level field for irrigation.
Step 4 — Sow treated wheat seeds with seed drill at proper spacing in rabi season.

• Confusing manure with fertiliser (both nutrients but different nature).
• Misconception: more fertiliser always higher yield (overuse pollutes water).
• Sowing too deep — seed may not germinate.
• Ignoring crop rotation to maintain soil fertility.

• Why is ploughing important?
• Difference between manure and fertiliser.
• What is a seed drill?

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Preparation of Soil & Sowing.