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Pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) is an important commercial fruit crop belongs to family Bromeliaceae. It is one of the choicest fruits all over the world because of its characteristic taste and pleasant flavour. Plant is herbaceous in nature with narrow pointed leaves and 50–100 cm height. The inflorescence composed of 150–200 flowers arranged in a compact spiral cluster. The flowers are perfect with three short fleshy sepals and petals, six stamens, floral bract and ovary with three locules. The plant bears a single fruit of cylindrical shape terminally on a peduncle come out from the centre of the rosette. Pineapple fruit is a multiple or sorosis type fruit formed by the partial fusion of numerous fleshy segments from several separate flowers and edible part of fruit mainly consists of the ovaries, bases of sepals, bracts and cortex of the axis. Commercial varieties are self sterile but easily crossable with plants outside their varietal group. The apex of fruit bears a compressed, leafy and spiny shoot known as crown. The fruit weight ranged from 1.00–2.50 kg and has outer colour yellow and very golden yellow flesh inside. Pineapple fruits are mainly consumed as fresh fruit, juice purpose and also used for canning. The typically yellow fruit flesh is found suitable for fresh consumption when sweet (10 to 18% sugar) and moderately acid (0.5 to 1.6%). Fruits are processed in various value added products like pineapple chunks, crushed pineapple, diced pineapple, slices, juices, syrups, jams, etc. The pineapple possess crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), a photosynthetic carbon assimilation pathway with high water-use efficiency

The Jamun (Syzygium cuminii Skeels) is a nutritious fruit with a variety of uses; virtually every part of the tree has been utilized by both urban and rural dwellers. The fruit is good source of iron, sugars, minerals, protein and carbohydrate etc (Table 1). Fully ripe fruits are eaten fresh and can be processed into beverages like jelly, jam, squash, wine, vinegar and pickles. The Jamun fruit has sub-acid spicy flavour and squash is very refreshing drink for quenching the thrust in the summer season. A little quantity of fruit syrup is much useful for curing the diarrhoea. The vinegar prepared from juice extracted from slightly unripe fruit is stomachic, carminative and diuretic, apart from having cooling and digestive properties (Thaper, 1958). However, small jamun fruits not suitable for table use but suitable for use in the beverage industry as they contained a high amount of acidity, tannins and anthocyanins (Anon., 1986). The volatile oil from the jamun fruits can also be extracted (Vijayanandet al., 2001). Fruits are used as an effective medicine against diabetes, heart and liver trouble (Singh, 2001). The Powdered seeds have also reputation of being useful in the treatment of diabetes. Oral administration of an aqueous jamun seed extract for 6 weeks caused a significant decrease in lipids, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and an increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase in the brain of diabetic rats (Prince et al., 2003). Leaf extract of jamun also reduces the radiation induced DNA damage in the cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Jamun seed can be used as concentrate for animals, as it is rich in protein, carbohydrates and calcium. Its timber wood is used for railway sleepers, construction of buildings, agricultural implements and for well work, as it resists the action of water (Chundawat, 1990).

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Syn., Artocarpous integrifolia L.) is an evergreen tree species. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is a close relative of jackfruit. It belongs to Moraceae family along with fig and mulberry. It is a tree borne fruit crop species producing biggest size fruit among fruit crops. Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Indonesia (Matin, 2015). In southern India, Jackfruit received a respected status symbol. The state government of Kerala declared it as the state fruit of Kerala to promote the ‘Kerala Jack fruit’ and its value-added products as a brand, highlighting its organic and nutritious qualities among people.

This fruit plant is fast-growing when young, but soon become slow-growing tree thrive well under tropical, sub-tropical and temperate region. Mostly this crop is being cultivated for rearing of silkworm and wind break rather than fruit crop. This crop not specific with climatic requirement so can be grown in arid, marginal soil, barren land without much care.

The different plant parts viz., stem, bark, twigs, leaf, fruit etc are being utilized in different ways. Stem use for making agricultural implement, house artisans’, sports items, fodder for animals and fruits use as fresh dessert and in processing for making of different value added products like jam, beverages etc. Apart from these, its different plant parts also have medicinal properties use mainly in folk, ayurvedic and unani medicines.

Phalsa is an important minor fruit crop of India. It is a sub tropical fruits, which is also known as star apple. It is known by different vernacular names in different parts of country for example Dhamini in Bengali, Phalsa in Punjabi and Shurkhi in Hindi.

Phalsa is a shrub or small tree of Indian origin. Phalsa has been mentioned in Vedic literature as having certain medicinal qualities. Phalsa is a bushy plant of arid and semi- arid region. It is also cultivated in subtropical region. It is very hardy, tolerant to drought and suitable to grow on wastelands. Phalsa is best suited for small area as it is manageable by pruning. Its cultivation is favoured around big cities where fruits find a ready and quick sale. It has a poor keeping quality. It is also grown as an intercrop with mango, aonla, bael and ber. It is capable of growing under neglected and water scarcity conditions where only a few other crops would survive.

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is a tropical evergreen tree species of Leguminosae family. It is a very versatile plant species which can grow easily up to 1500 m above sea level and found in abundance in the Indian subcontinent and African continent. The name Tamarindus indica was given by Linnaeus in the eighteenth century, inspired by the Arabic name “Tamar-ul-Hind”, meaning ‘date of India’. Tamarind is known by different vernacular names in different languages. In India, tamarind grows naturally in forest and also develops unattended on wastelands. Therefore, it is suitable to grow along the roads, in agroforestry as multipurpose tree species or as fire breaks for forest margins.

Wood apple is also known as kaith, kavat, curd apple and monkey fruit. It is found almost throughout the country. It is one of the very hardy tree found growing in arid and semi arid regions of the country. Hill region of northern India and Ceylon are supposed to be its native land (Reuther et al., 1967). Chundawat (1990) thought it to be a native of India and Sri Lanka. It is a popular tree of forest, Indoor yard garden and can be exploited for regular cultivation in dry areas. The cricket ball size fruits have sweet and aromatic pulp, eaten fresh or used for drinks, chutneys, jellies etc. In forests of Rajasthan, it is commonly found in Aravalli range and Hadoti Plateau.

Karonda (Carissa carandas Linn.) is also known as ‘Christ Thorn Tree’ and an important fruit plant of semi-arid and arid regions. It is an evergreen, hardy, spiny bush which is use as live fencing surrounding the orchards or filed. One or two plant was planted in backyards at rural place. It is also grown in wasteland, problematic soil, unproductive land and low moisture conditions. It can be also grown as ornamental purpose due to pink reddish fruits and evergreen nature. Plant produce sufficient amount of fruits and fruits are sour and astringent in taste. Fruits havenutritive value like rich source of iron, fair amount of vit. C and several medicinal values.

Ker (Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew, (synonym Capparis aphylla, Roth) is a multipurpose, perennial, woody shrub or small tree found growing naturally in hot arid regions and semi-arid subtropics in various parts of the world. In India, it is known by different names in different parts of the country. In Rajasthan, it is generally called Kair or Ker while in Haryana it is known as Teent or Dela. Some more synonym by which ker is known are Caper, Karyal, Hanbag, Cari, Karira etc while in English, it is known as Caper berry. This species is an important constituent of arid ecosystem and plays significant roles in sustaining the ecosystem. The peoples of Indian Thar desert have known the importance of this shrub for long back. On account of its acquired xerophytic adaptive characteristics, it is capable of growing in various kinds of habitats including wastelands. It is also suitable for stabilizing sand dunes and controlling soil erosion by wind and water. Due to its xerophytic adaptive nature, the plant grows successfully under harsh climatic conditions of arid regions. Berry-shaped unripe fruits are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals. It was abundant about five decades back, but, with increase in populations of humans and livestock and more demand of land for agricultural purpose, it has been over-exploited and eliminated by tractor ploughing and excessive browsing pressure from livestock. This has resulted in significant reduction in plant population of ker, but people still try to retain some plants on farm boundaries as this also prevent soil erosion which is quite high due to wind.

Arid regions lie under the category of wastelands which are not being used to their fullest potential therefore, it almost barren. Hot arid regions are sparsely populated with human and animal population and experiences various biotic exploitation of the already very poor resources base. The scarcity of water poses biggest hindrance in limits the crop productivity as climatic factor. Yet, nature has bestowed the arid region fruits with characteristic qualities. Some fruit crops can grow successfully in such type of regions. Among these crops, cardia most suitable crop for cultivation under such type of arid climate. Some regional names of cordia are Pidar, Ponugeri, Maruvilli, Geduri, Spistan, Bhakar, Borla, Kalo Bohori (Nepali) etc. It is growing not only all over Asia but also nearly whole of the globe especially in tropical environment. In Indian sub-continent, it is growing from east Myanmar to west Afghanistan. It is grown in arid region and having numerous utilities. It is found in a variety of the forest of Rajasthan to moist deciduous forests of the Western Ghats and Tidal forest of Myanmar. In Maharashtra, it grows in moist monsoon forests also. In Rajasthan, its commercial plantations are being done in Pali, Sirohi, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jalore districts.

Now, it is becoming popular as monoculture cultivation as well as under agroforestry system in arid region. It does not grow gregariously but is found growing singly in moist shady ravines and valleys. In areas with annual rainfall less than 500mm, it thrives along streams and depressions where moisture is available. The hot arid zone stretch 32 M ha or 0.32 million square kilometer long covering Rajasthan (62%), Gujrat (20%), Andra Pradesh (7%), Punjab (5%), Haryana (4%), Karnataka (3%) and Maharastra (0.4%). In these area fruits selection for cultivation must be cope up that their maximal growth period coincides with the period of water availability in the soil. Few of the xerophytes characteristics are: deeper root system, deciduous nature, reduced foliage, sunken of covered stomata, waxy coating or hairiness on leaf surface which minimize the evapotranspiration and makes plant adaptive to the hostile climate. These qualities are found in cordia plant which can grow in this area without any problem after management of some agro-techniques.

1.1. Definition

Soil: Thin layer of earth’s crust made up of disintegrated and decomposed rocks, complex mineral compound, organic matter, water/air and living organism like bacteria, fungi, insects and worms and serves as the natural medium of growth of plants.

Provides nutrients, moisture, anchorage (support) and air to plants.

Parent materials are igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks.

Soil Science: Science dealing with soil (Natural resource) on the surface of the earth, including pedology (Soil genesis, classification and mapping), physical, chemical, biological and fertility properties and their relation to management for crop production.

2.1. Soil structure

Important physical properties of soils

Soil texture

Soil structure

Surface area

Soil density

3.1. Soil colloids

Clay fraction of the soil contains particles less than 0.002 mm in size.

Particles less than 0.001 mm size possess colloidal properties and are known as soil colloids.

4.1. Role of soil microorganisms

Soil N utilization by plants.

Dead organic matters decomposed.

Nutrient transformation.

Physical and chemical properties of soil.

CO₂ content.

Soil formation.

5.1. Organic matter

In sandy soil, the sticky and slimy organic materials cement the sand particles together to form aggregates.

In clayey soil, it modifies the properties of clay by reducing its cohesiveness and making clay more crumby.

6.1. Humus

Fraction of organic matter.

Complex and resistant mixture of brown or dark brown amorphous and colloidal organic substance.

6.2. Humus formation

1. Decomposition: Chemicals in the plant residues are broken down by soil microbes.

Simpler chemicals are metabolized into new compounds in the body tissue of soil microbes.

New compounds are subjected to further modification and synthesis as the microbial tissue is subsequently attacked by other soil microbes.

Involved in plant metabolic functions and the plant cannot complete its life cycle without the element.

7.1. Plant nutrient concentration and plant growth

1. Deficient

Lowest concentration of an essential element that limit yield severely and cause distinct deficiency symptoms.

8.1. Classification of essential nutrients

8.1.1. Based on the amount required by the plant

Major nutrients-Required in large quantities eg. N, P, K.

Secondary nutrients-Required in lesser quantities compared to major nutrients eg. Ca, Mg, S.

Micronutrients-Required in trace quantities eg. Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo.

9.1. Nutrient deficiency of corrective measures

9.1.1. Major and secondary nutrients

Any material of natural or synthetic origin added to the soil to supply one or more plant nutrients.

10.1. Classification of fertilizers

10.1.1. Straight fertilizers

Supply only one primary plant nutrient, namely nitrogen or phosphorus or potassium.

Eg. Urea, ammonium sulphate, potassium chloride and potassium sulphate.

Word manure derived from French ‘Manoeuvrer, means to manipulate, to work, to produce crop.

11.1. Sources of organic wastes

Cattle shed wastes, dung, urine and slurry from biogas plants.

Human habitation wastes-night soil, human urine, town refuse, sewage, sludge and sullage.

Poultry jitter, droppings of sheep and goat.

Slaughterhouse wastes-bone meal, meat meal, blood meal, horn and hoof meal, fish wastes.

Byproducts of agro industries-oil cakes, bagasse and press mud, fruit and vegetable processing wastes etc.

12.1. Problem soils

Chemical constraints: Salinity, sodicity, acidity and nutrient toxicities

Physical constraints : High or low permeability, sub soil hard pan, surface crusting, fluffy paddy soils, sandy soils etc.

13.1. Soil survey and soil mapping

Refers to study and mapping of soils in the fields.

Process of classifying soil types and other soil properties in a given area and geo-encoding such information.

Draws information on geomorphology, theories of soil formation, physical geography, analysis of vegetation and land use patterns.

Primary data for the soil survey are acquired by field sampling and by remote sensing.

Remote sensing principally uses aerial photography (Illuminating the object/ target with pulsed laser light and measuring the reflected pulses with sensor), but LiDAR ( Light Detection and Ranging) and other digital techniques.

14.1. Soil fertility

Ability of the soil to supply essential plant nutrients during growth period of the plants

Crop producing capacity of the soil

1.1. Dry farming (Dryland farming)

Cultivation of crops in a region where the annual rainfall is more than 750 mm.

Semi arid crops with growing period of 75-120 days.

Crop failure is less frequent.

Moisture conservation practices are necessary.

Major 2 types of erosion (i) soil erosion and (ii) wind erosion

2.1. Soil erosion

Detachment of soil particles from the surface • Transportation by water, wind, ice or gravity.

3.1. Conventional farming

Refers to the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other continual inputs, genetically modified organisms, heavy irrigation, intensive tillage and concentrated monoculture production.

Highly resource and energy intensive, but also highly productive.

Conventional farming typically involves monocropping, but very expensive.

1.1. Watershed development

Refers to the conservation, regeneration and judicious utilization of all the resources viz., land, water, vegetation, animal and human within a particular watershed in integrated manner.

Water drainage area on earth’s surface from which runoff, due to precipitation, flows into a single to a larger stream, a river, a lake or the ocean.

1.2. Concept of watershed management

Planning and design of soil and water conservation structures such as bunds, waterways, overflow structures, water harvesting structure.

2.1. Definition

Land which is presently lying unused or which is not being used to its optimum potential due to some constraints

3.1. Land use classification

3.1.1. Classes

Capability class is the broadest category in the land capability classification system.

Class codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are used to represent both irrigated and non-irrigated land capability classes.

Class 1: Soils have slight limitations that restrict their use.

Class 2: Soils have moderate limitations that reduce the choice of plants or require moderate conservation practices.

Class 3: Soils have severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants or require special conservation practices or both.

4.1. Highlights of the report on number and area of operational holdings (2015-16)

Total number of operational holdings in the country has increased from 138 million ha in 2010-11 to 146 million ha 2015-16 i.e. an increase of 5.33%.

Number of operational holders in different states

Uttar Pradesh (23.82 million ha)

Bihar (16.41 million ha)

Maharashtra (14.71 million ha)

Madhya Pradesh (10.00 million ha)

Karnataka (8.68 million ha)

5.1. Types of farming

Arable: Crops.

Pastoral: Animals.

Mixed: Crops and animals.

Subsistence: Grown just for the farmer and his family

Commercial: Grown to sell.

Intensive: High inputs of labour or capital usually small.

Extensive: Low inputs of labour or capital.

Sedentary: Permanently in one place.

Nomadic: The farmers move around to find new areas to farm.

1.1. Status of irrigation in Tamil Nadu

Geographical area of 13 million hectares is ranked eleventh in size among the Indian states.

Net area sown is about 6 million hectares.

3 million hectares or 50% get irrigation facilities.

To achieve maximum possible irrigation efficiencies, there are two approaches.

Modernization of conveyance system down below the reservoirs upto government controlled outlet. Involves mainly the construction and maintenance of head sluices, main canals, branch canals, and distributaries (Modernization of supplier’s side or system level development works)

Modernization below the government controlled outlets upto the drains (Modernization of user’s side or farm level development works). Also known as On-Farm Development Works (OFD).

3.1. Ground water development

3.1.1. Rain water harvesting

Collecting and using precipitation water from a catchments surface.

Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the Palestine and Greece.

In ancient Rome, residences were built with individual cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from city’s aqueducts.

As early as the third millennium BC, farming communities in Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams.

4.1. Water Use Efficiency (WUE)

An efficient irrigation system implies effective transfer of water from the source to the field with minimum possible loss.

To identify the nature of water loss and to decide the type of improvements in the system.

Evaluation of performance in terms of efficiency is prerequisite for proper use of irrigation water.

Term moisture stress is generally applied to the stomata opening and transpiration increases with time until they close due to high temperature.

5.1. Causes of moisture stress in plants

Main reason is extent of transpiration which is affected by leaf size and composition, size and distribution of stomata on leaf, atmospheric humidity, temperature, wind velocity and day length.

High atmospheric temperature due to intense sun and increased transpiration causes closure of stomata and wilting of leaves even, if soil moisture content is not limiting.

This deficit is made up during night due to decreased transpiration.

In plants, moisture content decreases either due to increased transpiration or reduction in absorption or both.

6.1. Quality of irrigation water

Asia per capita water availability has fallen by around 80 per cent during last five decades.

Suitability of waters for a specific purpose depends on the types and amounts of dissolved salts.

Some of the dissolved ions such as NO₃ are useful for crops.

1.1. Cropping pattern

Yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of crops or crops and fallow on a given area.

1.2. Cropping seasons in India

1.2.1. Kharif season: Southwest monsoon

Crops - Rice, cotton, jute, jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet) and redgram (Pigeon pea).

Word manure derived from French word ‘Manoeuvrer, means to manipulate, to work, to produce crop.

2.1. Sources of organic wastes

Cattle shed wastes-dung, urine and slurry from biogas plants.

Human habitation wastes-night soil, human urine, town refuse, sewage, sludge and sullage.

Poultry litter, droppings of sheep and goat.

Slaughter house wastes-bone meal, meat meal, blood meal, horn and hoof meal, fish wastes.

Byproducts of agroindustries-oil cakes, bagasse and press mud, fruit and vegetable processing wastes.

3.1. Integrated nutrient management

Maintenance of soil fertility and plant nutrient supply at an optimum level for sustaining the desired productivity through optimization of all possible sources of organic, inorganic and biological components in an integrated manner.

3.2. Concepts

Regulated nutrient supply for optimum crop growth and higher productivity.

Improvement and maintenance of soil fertility.

Zero adverse impact on agro – ecosystem quality by balanced fertilization of organic manures, inorganic fertilizers and bioinoculants in an integrated manner.

4.1. Physiological disorders in field crops

Identification of physiological disorders in agricultural crops

5.1. Irrigation requirement of field crops

1.1. FYM compost

Decomposed mixture of dung and urine of farm animals along with litter and left over materials from roughages or fodder fed to the cattle.

Farmyard manure contains 0.5% N, 0.2% P₂O₅ and 0.5% K₂O.

Urine contains one per cent nitrogen and 1.35% potassium.

10 to 20 t/ha is applied, but more than 20 t/ha is applied to fodder grasses and vegetables like potato, tomato, sweet potato, carrot, radish, onion etc., respond well to the farmyard manure.

Crops like sugarcane, rice, oranges, banana, mango and coconut respond good to FYM.

Vermicomposting is the process of turning organic debris into worm castings by earthworms.

Earthworms feed on decaying material, pass through alimentary canals and excreted as castings.

pH of the castings is 7 (neutral) and the castings are odourless.

Contain high amounts of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium.

Contains 5 times the available nitrogen, 7 times the available potash, and 1 ½ times more calcium and rich in humus.

Improves aeration, porosity, structure, drainage, and moisture holding capacity.

Preparations containing living cells or latent cells of efficient strains of microorganisms that help crop plants to uptake of nutrients by their interactions in the rhizosphere when applied through seed or soil.

Accelerates microbial processes in the soil.

1.1. Mushroom

Fruiting body of fungus appears above ground and contains spores.

Fungi are network of fine microscopic threads collectively known as mycelium.

Fungi are the part of the plant kingdom and don’t contain chlorophyll and root system.

Mushroom comes under sub division Basidiomycotina, order – Agaricales.

Rerd. L.L.Langstroth (Father of modern bee keeping) discovered movable frame hive in 1851.

In 1882, beekeeping was introduced in India.

In 1911, Rerd. Newton introduced beekeeping to South India.

1.1. Sericulture

Refer to rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.

Major activities are mulberry cultivation, silkworms spin silk cocoons and reeling the cocoons for unwinding the silk filament for value added benefits.

Bombyx mori is the most widely used. Silk-fiber is a protein produced from the silk-glands (modified labial glands) of silkworms.

1.1. Types of energy

1.1.1. Potential energy

Stored energy and the energy of position (gravitational).

1.1.2. Kinetic energy

Energy in motion - the motion of waves, electrons, atoms, molecules and substances. It exists in various forms.