How is the timely sowing of crops helpful for the farmer?
- AOption (a)
It increases weed growth.
- BOption (b)
It decreases crop yield.
- COption (c)
It avoids competition with weeds.
- DOption (d)
It attracts pests.
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Correct answer
It avoids competition with weeds.
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is It avoids competition with weeds.
Key Points
- Timely sowing is a fundamental agronomic practice that ensures the crop is planted during the most favorable window of the growing season. This practice directly influences the germination rate and the initial growth vigor of the crop.
- When crops are sown at the optimum time, they gain a competitive advantage over weeds. The crop plants establish themselves quickly and develop a foliar canopy earlier, which shades the ground and prevents the sunlight from reaching weed seedlings, thereby suppressing weed growth. Hence, the statement "It avoids competition with weeds" is correct.
- Competition for resources such as soil moisture, nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium), and solar radiation is significantly reduced when the crop is well-established before the peak emergence of weeds.
- Timely sowing ensures that the reproductive phase of the crop does not coincide with adverse weather conditions like extreme heat or frost, which helps in maintaining a high potential yield. The statement that it decreases crop yield is incorrect.
- Proper timing reduces the weed seed bank in the soil over time because fewer weeds reach the maturity stage to shed seeds. The statement that it increases weed growth is incorrect.
- Early and uniform establishment of the crop through timely sowing often makes the plants more resilient to pest attacks and diseases. The statement that it attracts pests is incorrect.
Additional Information
- Critical Period of Crop-Weed Competition:
- This refers to the specific growth stage during which weeds must be controlled to prevent economic yield loss. For most seasonal crops, this period occurs between 15 to 45 days after sowing.
- If the field is kept weed-free during this critical window, the crop can usually tolerate later-emerging weeds without significant yield reduction.
- Allelopathy:
- Some crops, when sown timely and grown healthily, release biochemicals (allelochemicals) from their roots or decaying parts that inhibit the germination and growth of neighboring weeds. This is a form of biological weed control.
- Impact of Weeds on Agriculture:
- Weeds are considered "plants out of place" that compete aggressively for nutrients. Statistics suggest that weeds can cause a yield loss ranging from 10% to 50%, and in some cases, even 100% if left unmanaged.
- They also act as alternate hosts for several insect pests and pathogenic fungi, which can further damage the main crop.
- Integrated Weed Management (IWM):
- IWM is a holistic approach that combines cultural (timely sowing, crop rotation), mechanical (hoeing, weeding), biological, and chemical (herbicides) methods to keep weed populations below the Economic Threshold Level (ETL).
- Line sowing at the correct depth and spacing further enhances the effectiveness of timely sowing by allowing for easier mechanical weeding later on.