Crop protection aids to keep plants healthy and uphold supportable crops. Plant protection strategies vary based on the type of culture and potential threats such as diseases, insects, or weeds. At the same time, actions must be appropriate and preventive for pest control.
Crop protection compounds used nowadays depend heavily on computerised solutions. These solutions provide precise soil and plant analysis, accurate information about external factors like weather, and optimisation of resource use. As a result, farmers can protect crops, raise profits, and lessen environmental damage.
Here, we will discuss six strategies for protecting crops.
Pests and Insects Management
Both insects and pests are the leading cause of crop damage. They can destroy the complete crop and eat a considerable percentage of grains. They can decrease crop productivity by 30-50(%) every year if left unrestrained.
The best ways to protect against crop damage include combined pest and insect management. Spraying insecticides and pesticides helps to lessen crop damage through insect and pest control.
Agricultural Fences for Protection from Animals
Fencing is a common wild animal preventive that can precede for many years. Agricultural fences are a relatively active wild animal protection skill. However, applying fences as a practice is frequently structured. Some local and state objects may limit or prevent certain types of fences. Therefore, before determining an appropriate fence, it’s significant to check local laws and guidelines.
The composition and design of fencing determine its excellence. Depending on their construction and material, permanent fences have a lifespan of 30 years.
Mechanical And Cultural Crop Protection
Cultural control can efficiently decrease pest action. Popular methods include replacing vulnerable plants with new, accurate irrigation methods, which can reduce weed moisture and promote root health by reducing irrigation.
Mechanical crop protection controls benefit farmers by physically removing pests. These include traps, mulching, soil solarisation, barriers keeping animals and insects out of the field, and steam sterilisation procedures.
Usage of Repellents and Deterrents
Repellents and deterrents are operative strategies in protecting crops from wild animals. They work by generating an unfavourable environment or activating aversive responses in animals. They also discourage them from impending and producing damage to agricultural areas.
Repellents can be used to protect precise crops that are recognised to appeal to certain kinds of animals. For example, repellents can prevent birds from damaging fruit trees or berry bushes.
Weed Management
Weeds are one of the leading opponents of plants. They need help with plants for nutrients, water, and space. As weeds are frequently destructively growing and scattering plants, they can overwhelm and even destroy young plants. Appropriate protection of crops from weeds requires timely recognition of the danger and an understanding of the biological features involved.
Crop protection from weeds includes preventive and control procedures. The former contains isolation as well as distinct seed treatment and storage settings. These include tillage, herbicide application, culture rotation, competitive forage culture production, etc.
Implementing Scare Tactics
Implementing scare tactics is an operative strategy to prevent wild animals from approaching and triggering damage to crops. Farmers can create an unsafe environment for wild animals by understanding their behaviour and employing scare tactics. There are two types of tactics.
Noise-based Tactics:
Loud noises can frighten and discourage animals, making them hesitant to plant crops. An excellent technique to keep animals away is to use scare devices like propane cannons, motion-activated noisemakers, or even barking dogs.
Visual Deterrents:
Visual deterrents simulate a threat by using animals’ ability to detect stimuli. Scarecrows, reflective tape, shiny objects, and predator decoys are a few examples. Place them carefully so that approaching animals perceive them as dangerous.
