Page 11 - Science - 5

A farmer ploughing A farmer adding fertilizer Crops being irrigated
the fields to crops
Addition of Fertilizers and manure

Farmers mix fertilizers in the soil to make it rich in minerals for the better
growth of crops. There are two kinds of fertilizers :

w Manure is a natural fertilizer made from the remains of dead and decaying
plants or from cow dung.

w Chemical fertilizers are man-made like nitrates, urea and phosphates.

Irrigation
Farmers water their crops at the right time with the right amount of water.
Crops need water to grow.

Crop protection

As the crop grows, it needs to be protected from herbivorous animals. This is
done by creating a fence around the field. Besides this, pests like rats, mice
and insects also harm the crops. Farmers use pesticides and insecticides to kill

the pests. DDT and gammaxene are some common insecticides.

A farmer spraying Harvesting of Storage of crops
pesticides in the field wheat crop

Harvesting

When the crop ripens, it is cut down. This is called harvesting. After
harvesting, grains like rice and wheat are stored in godowns. This protects

them from getting spoilt by moisture or eaten by birds, rats or insects.

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