Breakdown Of Tasks
1. January - March (Post-harvest & Soil Preparation):
Tasks:
Harvesting
Soil testing
Soil amendment application
Land plowing and preparation
Land leveling
Machinery/Equipment:
Harvesting: Hand tools (sickles) for manual harvesting OR Cotton picker/harvester for mechanized harvesting.
Soil Testing: Soil test kits or services from agricultural labs.
Soil Amendment Application: Broadcast spreader or manure spreader for larger amendments; hand tools for smaller scale.
Land Plowing: Tractor with a moldboard plow or disc harrow.
Land Leveling: Land leveler or board grader attached to a tractor.
2. April (Planting):
Tasks:
Seedbed preparation
Sowing seeds
Initial irrigation
Machinery/Equipment:
Seedbed Preparation: Rotavator or power tiller.
Sowing Seeds: Seed drill or planter for mechanized sowing; handheld dibblers for manual sowing.
Initial Irrigation: Drip irrigation system or furrow irrigation setup.
3. May - July (Growth & Maintenance):
Tasks:
Pest monitoring
Fertilizer application
Irrigation
Weed control
Machinery/Equipment:
Pest Monitoring: Hand lens, pheromone traps, yellow sticky traps.
Fertilizer Application: Broadcast spreader for granular fertilizers; sprayers for liquid fertilizers.
Irrigation: Drip irrigation system, hose pipes, or flood irrigation channels.
Weed Control: Hand hoes, mechanical cultivators, or herbicide sprayers.
4. August - September (Flowering & Monitoring):
Tasks:
Continued pest and disease monitoring
Flowering stage fertilization
Irrigation
Machinery/Equipment:
Pest and Disease Monitoring: As mentioned above, tools like hand lens, traps, etc.
Flowering Stage Fertilization: Same as previous fertilization tools.
Irrigation: Drip irrigation system, hose pipes, or flood irrigation channels.
5. October - December (Harvesting & Post-Harvest):
Tasks:
Harvesting cotton
Stalk management
Soil assessment for the next cycle
Machinery/Equipment:
Harvesting: Hand tools (sickles) for manual harvesting OR Cotton picker/harvester for mechanized harvesting.
Stalk Management: Choppers or shredders if incorporating stalks into the soil; balers if collecting stalks for other purposes.
Soil Assessment: Soil test kits or services from agricultural labs.
Additional Recommendations:
Tasks:
Intercropping
Pest management practices
Cover cropping
Water management techniques
Machinery/Equipment:
Intercropping: Manual or mechanized seed drills for sowing intercrop seeds.
Pest Management: Sprayers for biological or chemical control agents.
Cover Cropping: Seed drills for sowing cover crop seeds.
Water Management: Contour bunds or ridge-making equipment for ridge and furrow irrigation.