Brief description of soil and water conservation engineering

Soil and water conservation engineering 

Soil and water conservation engineering is one of the part of agricultural engineering. Soil and water conservation department offers the course in different areas such as soil and water conservation measures and structure, watershed management, non-point source, source of pollution etc

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Importance

Soil and water conservation engineering is important mainly for two reasons.

•   In our country water is poorly managed and at a times good supply may not be there sustain irrigation practice and human computation when needed. 

•     Soil and water conservation is important because it is necessary to leaving things to sustain life.

Effect on crop productivity

Organic matter seems to be the upper most layer of the soil with approximately 15% of plant available Phosphorous  (P) and Potassium (K). These factor loosen the soil grip and contribute to its erosion.

It also contributes the loss of valuable nutrients which will cause the yield to decline over time so one should keep the check the on organic matter and maintain them on the top soil to increase the yield and built up the soil organic matter.

Two Natural Factor causes the soil erosion

1.Soil Errosion- Water erosion is generally, of more inferior quality in summer. When the summer storm events occur. Heavy rain that have been captured within landscape can create torrent of water thus eroding the surfaced of soil this result in formation of the deep gullies.

  2.Wind Errosion- The wind erosion generally produced more inferior quality in winter because during this season he soil are early dry and also the wind is high.

Factor Contributing To Water erosion-

1. Length Of Slope- If longer slope, the more water built up and disperse the soil particle

2. Steepness of soil-More Energy required washing out soil from the ground surface.

3. lack of surface cover-surface residue intercept rain droplets and show down the water moving across the field.

Method of soil and water conservation

• Contour farming
•  Direction of tillage
•  Check dams
• Strip cropping
• Mulching
• Crop rotation
• Control of stream and river banks
• Gully control
• Terracing
• Planting of grass for stabilizing bunds
• Planting of tree 

A Brief Description About Irrigation And Drainage

Irrigation and drainage

 

Irrigation:

Irrigation is a technique of watering a field or can be described as an unnatural way of applying of water to the land to help in production of crop and to assist the growing of crop and protection of plant. By irrigation we intend to maintain the soil condition in dry areas like landscape, re-vegetation. It helps also in soil consolidation.
In dry summer period the irrigation water is applied because these days water losses of soil is high as 3.5 mm per day. There is no rainfall to compensate for this. In mid of June (mainly summer period) the water table goes downward in the soil. Soil moisture is depleted day by day. And its result in the upper surface of soil damage and loss of our fertile land. Loss of surface grass also there.

The plant requires large quantity of water for growth. The process of intake of water in the plant is known as transpiration, by the transpiration loss by vapor (evaporation) is there and the plant utilize most of water from the soil. In hot weather, there is an increase in the rate of transpiration so need of artificial water to maintain water quantity in soil and it increase growth of different of crop.
Before applying artificial water we need to check following factor

• pH of soil
• Alkalinity of soil
• Salinity of soil
• Industrial and agricultural pollution

 

Benefits of irrigation water

 

•     It provides greater certainty with production. It makes production possible with dry land.

•     It increases livestock production.
•     The farmer maintains the pasture quality over a critical dry period.
•     It provides the greater opportunity to gain of abundance of crops in dry areas.
•     It prevents plant disease (pathogens) and weed.
•      It conserves the water and our time.
•     It preserves soil structure and nutrients.
•     It increases the crop yield.
•     It ensures production of better quality of product.
•     It uses appropriate irrigation technique to decrease the water cost through consumption.
•     It decrease the energy cost.
•     It maintains the quality of the environment.

 

System of irrigation

 

•     Surface irrigation system
•     Drip irrigation system
•     Sprinkler irrigation system
•     Center pivot irrigation system
•     Basin irrigation system

 

Drainage

 

It is a method for removal of water of natural water from the surface or sub surface of farm which increase the productivity and helps to manage water supply. unfavorable effect of water logging can be reduce.
An agricultural drainage system is  used to maintain water level on or in the soil. Because the crop is prevented from damage and it improves the growth of crop thus the maximum productivity for the crop can be reached.

 

Benefits of Drainage:-

Suitable agriculture drainage system provides the best yield and minimise the effect of drought and heavy rainfall storm or snow. We increase the temperature in the soil and thus reduce the soil losses to excessive surface water their by improving aeration and its aims increase the quality of nitrogen in the soil to provide the better root development and to ensure the longer growing season of crop and it also the soil erosion. Greater productivity of the farm which also ensure if we implement the tile drainage system then this method increases the productivity from 22% to 42% as compared to untitled land.
Better soil Moisture condition with Good drainage To ensure more operation of tillage planting and harvesting.

 

Disadvantage-

 

The construction of open drains requires the more land, surface area hence there is waste.
Levelling of land require in undulating areas which may increase the cost of operation.

 

Types of Drainage system-

 

• Surface System-
• Sub-Surface System
• Vertical Drainage
• Bio Drainage System

A Brief Introduction To Agricultural Engineering

Agricultural engineering is define as the science in which we apply our electrical, chemical, mechanical,civil skills to agricultural field to get maximum productivity form it. Agricultural engineering deals excessively with

• Farm machinery. 
• The location and planning of farm structure. 
• Farm drainage 
• Soil management and its erosion. 
• Water management in farm 

Agricultural Engineering covers four disciplines-

• Farm Machinery and Power Engineering.
• Soil and Water Conservation Engineering 
• Irrigation and Drainage engineering 
• Post Harvest Process And Food Engineering

Farm Machinery and Power Engineering 

The farm machinery technology is used for increment of traction power. Best example is two wheeler  Tractor and four wheeler Tractor. The farm machinery is an operation to minimize the energy effort of man power and reduce the total labour cost. Farm machinery also includes the equipment, like Tractor, Combiner, Power Tiller etc and some implement like Harrow, Transplanter, Seed drill, Rotavator, Stone Picker etc.
 
The Farm Machinery also apply its principle in fertilizers and pesticide control. It is used in implementation as a Fertilizers Spreader, Manure Spreader, Sprayer and Slurry Agitator etc. The farm machinery is a part of irrigation as it is used in driving pump to extract the ground water. We use farm machinery in the following equipment like tractor, stationary engine power tiller. It is used to weight separate and refine fine product from the raw material and is used in by machines according to appearance, color and texture. There is a wide role of farm machinery in harvesting. Currently many crops are harvested by farm machinery equipment like sugarcane harvester, potato digger, wheat, rice, maize, carrot, etc. Comparison between earlier used and modern Modern technology in farm machinery has involved from the old technology. In old farm machinery implement were made of stone and sticks. Example indigenous Plough and Mould board Plough and its consumption of man power and that of animal was very time consumptive but its implement were not expansive.

The farmer is not growing the multiple crops and not uses good quality of fertilizers, pesticide and productivity is highly dependent on climate. The modern farm machinery is widely progressive in farm equipment, day by day. And its equipment are expensive but do not take much time in growing the best crops of many types and its employs new technology , thereby reducing labour and animal dependency. With the help of farm machinery waste land is utilized and production of agricultural product increase.

Scope Of Agricultural Engineering 

Scope of agricultural engineering The 52 percent of Indian population is based on agriculture. It contributes nearly 14.6 percent to the growth domestic product (GDP) of our country. After independence, agriculture played a pivotal role in strengthening and laying the foundation of our country.

The following careers /job prospects in agriculture engineering can be witness today.

• Agriculture engineering 
• Agriculture extension  
• Agriculture land scaping engineering 
• Professor for Agriculture engineering 
• Agriculture research scientists 
• Fertilizers and irrigation industries 
• LTD companies 
• Indian forest service (IFS) 
• Graduate record examination(GRE) 
• Master in business administration(MBA) 
• Senior research fellow(SRF)