Precision Farming and Protected Cultivation
Course Overview
Official detailed syllabus from the ICAR Sixth Deans’ Committee curriculum.
Course Objectives
The students will learn about the basics of cultivation of plants under protected conditions
Theory Syllabus
Precision farming vis a vis horticultural crops– laser levelling, mechanized direct seed sowing; seedling and sapling transplanting, site specific input application. Protected cultivation technology: Introduction, techniques of protected cultivation, types of Green Houses, Plant response to Greenhouse environment, Planning and design of greenhouses, Design criteria of greenhouse for cooling and heating purposes. Green house equipment, materials of construction for traditional and low-cost green houses. Irrigation systems used in protected cultivation, Typical applications, passive solar green house, hot air greenhouse heating systems, greenhouse drying. Cost estimation and economic analysis. Choice of crops for cultivation under protected structures, problems/constraints of greenhouse cultivation and future strategies. Growing media, soil culture, type of soil required, drainage, flooding and leaching, soil pasteurization in peat moss and mixtures, rock wool and other inert media, nutrient film technique (NFT)/ hydroponics.
Practical Syllabus
Laser levelling procedure and field visit. Study and field visit for mechanized direct seed sowing and transplanting in horticultural field. Study of different types of greenhouses based on shape, construction and cladding materials. Studies on different environment control parameters in greenhouses. Estimation of drying rate of horticultural products inside greenhouse. Testing of soil and water to study its suitability for growing crops in protected structures. The study of fertigation requirements for greenhouse crops and estimation of E.C and pH in the fertigation solution. The study of various growing media used in raising of greenhouse crops and their preparation and pasteurization/sterilization. Visit to commercial protected cultivation structures. Economics of protected cultivation.
Suggested Readings
1. Brahma S. 2019. Precision Farming and Protected Cultivation. NIPA, New Delhi.
2. Michael A M. 2008. Irrigation Theory and Practices. Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
3. Kumar S 2002. Precision Farming and Protected Cultivation: Concepts and Applications. Narendra Publishing House, New Delhi.