Page 25 - Introduction to Agriculture by: Aqleem Abbas

Introduction to Agriculture Notes prepared by: Aqleem Abbas

Grown for edible fruit e.g. tomato

Condiment crops

E.g. coriander, chili and mint.

Special purpose classification

Green manure crops

These crops are grown and ploughed under in green or manure stage to increase soil fertility e.g. dhancha
(guar), barseen, and brassica.

Silage or haylage crops

Silage crops are cut, and preserved in succulent condition. It is achieved by partial fermentation in silos.
E.g. oat, maize, soybean, sorghum, and grass arre called haylage crops. In Pakistan it is practiced only in
military dairy farms.

Soilage crops or green feed or zero grazing.

It is harvested when still green and succulent and are directly fed to animals without curing e.g. barseem,
shaftal, sorghum and maize.

Cover crops

They are grown to cover soil surface because to reduce soil erosion and nutrient losses by leaching e.g.
rye, grasses, mash, moth,

Catch crops

Catch crops are grown when the major crops failed or could not raise successfully due to some reason.
These crops are grown only for fodder not for yield. E.g. maize and sorghum for fodder purposes.

Companion crops

Companion crops increase soil fertility. Usually legumes are grown mixed with grass. These are those
crops growing two or three together. E.g. leguminosia plus gramminae. Companion crops increase forage
production and to improve quality.

Relay crops

When a major crops reach to reproductive or mature stage and is not harvested and a second crop relay
crop is sown in the field to increase crop intensity. E.g. planting of sugar beet in sugar cane.