Various agricultural practices are as follows
(i) Preparation of soil The first step is preparation of soil. In this the soil is loosened and turned up. It helps the plants to grow and develop. The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing . Sometimes manure is also added to soil before tilling .
(ii) Sowing After preparation of soil, the second step called sowing takes place . It is the process of scattering or planting seeds into the soil. Before sowing good quality seeds are selected . The seeds should be clean and healthy .
(iii) Adding manure and fertilisers Soil supplies minerals and nutrients to the crops . These nutrients are essential for growth of plants . Sometimes these nutrients are lacking , so substances are added to maintain or to replenish the soil . These substances are called manures and fertilisers. Manures and fertilisers are essential to increase the crop production .
(iv) Irrigation The process of watering the crop plants at regular interval is called irrigation . Plants take all the nutrients and minerals in dissolved form . So , water is most essential for germination of seeds , growth and development of plants .
(v) Harvesting After maturation the crop is cut off. This process is called harvesting . It is done by a sickle or by a machine called harvester .
(vi) Storage Storage of product is one of the most important tasks . To keep the grains for longer they should be safe from moisture, pest, insects and other microorganisms .