AGRONOMY CROP CAFETERIA
A crop cafeteria is a system where multiple crops are grown in the same field, offering farmers and students a choice of suitable crops and cropping systems.
Crop cafeterias are important because they promote sustainability, improve soil health, and facilitate technology transfer in agriculture. They offer a diverse selection of crops, allowing farmers to choose varieties and cropping systems best suited to their needs and local conditions. By showcasing different crops and farming techniques, cafeterias also empower farmers with knowledge and practical experience, encouraging them to adopt sustainable and efficient practices.
For the benefits of the students to identify the crop plants, crop cafeteria is maintained in STAC farm. Agronomy crop cafeteria consists of two fields each at a size of 25 cents field. Among these two fields all the field crops were grown rotationally. The field is divided into several plots for to grow different field crops. Plot size of single plot is 6×5 m.
| Si. No. | Common name | Scientific name | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice/Paddy | Oryza sativa | Poaceae |
| 2 | Wheat | Triticum aestivum | Poaceae |
| 3 | Maize/Corn | Zea mays | Poaceae |
| 4 | Barley | Hordeum vulgare | Poaceae |
| 5 | Sorghum/Jowar | Sorghum bicolor | Poaceae |
| 6 | Pearl Millet/Bajra | Pennisetum glaucum | Poaceae |
| 7 | Foxtail Millet | Setaria italica | Poaceae |
| 8 | Little Millet | Panicum milliare | Poaceae |
| 9 | Kodo Millet | Paspalum scrobiculatum | Poaceae |
| 10 | Proso Millet | Panicum miliaceum | Poaceae |
| 11 | Mungbean | Vigna radiata | Fabaceae |
| 12 | Chickpea | Cicer arietinum | Fabaceae |
| 13 | Blackgram | Vigna mungo | Fabaceae |
| 14 | Cowpea | Vigna unguiculata | Fabaceae |
| 15 | Pigeonpea | Cajanus cajan | Fabaceae |
| 16 | Groundnut/Peanut | Arachis hypogaea | Fabaceae |
| 17 | Sesame/Gingelly | Sesamum indicum | Pedaliaceae |
| 18 | Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Asteraceae |
| 19 | Cotton | Gossypium hirsutum | Malvaceae |
| 20 | Sugarcane | Saccharum officinarum | Poaceae |
| 21 | Cassava | Manihot esculenta | Euphorbiaceae |
| 22 | Sweet Potato | Ipomoea batatas | Convolvulaceae |
| 23 | Daincha | Sesbania bispinosa | Fabaceae |
| 24 | Sunnhemp | Crotalaria juncea | Fabaceae |
| 25 | Agathi | Sesbania grandiflora | Fabaceae |
At STAC we maintain a Plant Breeding Crop Cafeteria in an area of about 50 cents. It is under the Department of Crop Improvement and the students of PBG 101, PBG 201, PBG 301, PBG 302 and PGR 351 maintain the crops and field.
Objectives & use
This cafeteria is maintained mainly to teach agricultural botany, genetics, emasculation and pollination techniques and for the conservation of germplasm.
Field layout
The plot is divided into 25 long beds (0.9 m width x 20 m long) and is fitted with drip irrigation system. Each bed is mulched with plastic sheets to prevent excessive weeds and moisture loss. Mulching sheets have 10 cm wide holes every 1 ft to accommodate plants.
Season
The plants are raised throughout the year as per the requirements of the different courses. They are resown at least thrice per year.
Crops maintained
The cafeteria is organized into cereals & millets, pulses, oilseeds and fibres; its wild relatives and advanced lines such as A, B & R lines. The cafeteria consists of the following crops:
|
S.No. |
Crop |
Growth habit |
|
|
Cereals &millets |
|
|
1. |
Maize |
Annual |
|
2. |
Sorghum |
Annual |
|
3. |
Pearl millet (A, B &R lines) |
Annual |
|
4. |
Foxtail millet |
Annual |
|
5. |
Barnyard millet |
Annual |
|
6. |
Proso millet |
Annual |
|
7. |
Finger millet |
Annual |
|
8. |
Little millet |
Annual |
|
9. |
Kodo millet |
Annual |
|
|
Pulses |
|
|
10. |
Black gram |
Annual |
|
11. |
Green gram |
Annual |
|
12. |
Soybean |
Annual |
|
13. |
Chick pea |
Annual |
|
14. |
Red gram |
Perennial |
|
15. |
Cowpea |
Annual |
|
16. |
Lablab |
Annual |
|
17. |
Horsegram |
Annual |
|
|
Oilseeds |
|
|
18. |
Groundnut |
Annual |
|
19. |
Sunflower |
Annual |
|
20. |
Sesame |
Annual |
|
21. |
Castor |
Annual |
|
|
Fibre |
|
|
22. |
Cotton (four cultivated &1 wild species) (i) Gossypium hirsutum (ii) G. barbadense (iii) G. arboreum (iv) G. herbaceum (v) G. aridum(wild species) |
Annual Annual Annual Perennial Perennial |
Additionally, once a year rice landraces collected from various places are raised in wetlands to harvest fresh seeds. Seeds are then stored at GPB lab for teaching and research purposes.
At S. Thangapazham Agricultural College (STAC), the Crop Cafeteria serves as a vital instructional unit, providing students with hands-on experience in crop cultivation and irrigation practices. This facility is designed to enhance practical knowledge and skills essential for modern agricultural practices.
