What is planting?. Planting is the placement of the planting material in the soil for regeneration to produce more of the plant species.
Types of planting materials
Seeds
Seeds are produced by flowering after pollination and fertilisation. They contain the part of the plant that germinates and subsequently grows into new plants.
Advantages of using seeds as planting materials.
- Seeds are easily treated against soil-borne pests and diseases.
- They are not bulky, therefore, storage is easy.
- They are easy to handle during planting, making the operation easy.
- When planting seeds, it is easy to use machines like seed planters and drillers.
- It is easy to apply manure and fertilisers together with seeds during planting.
- Fertiliser and manure application can be easily mechanised.
- It is possible to develop new crop varieties due to cross-pollination.
Disadvantages of using seeds as planting materials.
- Some seeds have long dormancy, and they may need special treatment in order to germinate.
- Plants raised from seeds have variations from the mother plant due to cross-pollination,
- This may introduce undesirable characteristics.
- Soil-borne pests may damage seeds if left for some time in the soil before rain falls.
- Some seeds may lose viability if stored for a long time. This leads to gaps in the farm.
See also:
Definition and Objectives of Export Promotion in Agriculture
Agricultural Insurance | Meaning, Importance, Types, Risks, Problems & Terminologies
Agricultural Marketing | Co-operative Societies, Producers, Middlemen, Wholesalers,