Crop Farming Basic Practices - Technical Bulletin #05

The timing of various activities is critical, and farmers must adhere to a specific schedule to achieve optimal results. The first step in crop farming is crop and market selection, which involves researching preferred varieties, sizes, and volumes, as well as wholesale and retail prices, cropping dates, market demand windows, buyer options, and purchase agreements. Careful evaluation of the field and its surroundings is also essential, including finding a safe water source, assessing potential flooding zones, performing a pest and disease evaluation, identifying weeds, and conducting a soil test to determine pH, organic matter, macronutrients, and physical characteristics. Soil preparation is a critical step, involving sub-soiling or deep tilling to a depth of 50-75 centimeters, plowing to a depth of 30 centimeters, and preparing raised beds to a height of 30 centimeters. Irrigation installment and assessment are also crucial, as water is essential for root development and crop growth. Farmers must check the water pump and irrigation system components, repair leaks, and reinforce irrigation channels. Drip irrigation systems can provide excellent control over water application and can also be used to apply fertilizers and pesticides. Planting live barriers, such as grasses or other crops, can help reduce pest and disease pressure and provide a windbreak. These barriers must be taller than the crop, a different type of plant, and form a dense barrier without breaks. Seedling production is also critical, as only high-quality seedlings will give the crop the vigorous early growth needed for high yields. Seedlings should be compact, have a good root system, be dark green in color, have a strong stem, and be pest and disease-free. Weed control is essential, as weeds can harbor pests and diseases that can affect the crop. Farmers should remove all weeds within 10 meters of the field and clear the field of weeds before transplant. Finally, transplanting seedlings on the same day they are removed from the nursery is critical to prevent seedling death and ensure optimal growth. The timing of these activities is critical, and farmers must adhere to a specific schedule to achieve optimal results. The days before transplant (DBT) are a critical period, and farmers must complete various activities during this time to ensure a successful harvest. The DBT schedule includes crop and market selection (100-60 DBT), evaluation of the field and its surroundings (50-45 DBT), soil preparation (45-30 DBT), irrigation installment and assessment (40-20 DBT), planting live barriers (40-25 DBT), seedling production (45-12 DBT), and weed control of the field and field borders (20-10 DBT).