MPSC Prelims and Mains Notes, MPSC Test Series
Soil erosion is a naturally and continuous process that affects all landforms. In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field’s topsoil by the natural physical forces of water and wind or through forces associated with farming activities such as tillage. Erosion, whether it is by water, wind or tillage, involves three distinct … Read more
Soil fertility refers to the ability of a soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, i.e. to provide plant habitat and result in sustained and consistent yields of high quality. A fertile soil has the following properties:- It is rich in nutrients necessary for basic plant nourishment. This includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It consists of adequate minerals such as boron, … Read more
Organic farming is an alternative agricultural system which originated early in the 20th century in reaction to rapidly changing farming practices. Organic farming continues to be developed by various organic agriculture organizations today. It relies on fertilizers of organic origin such as compost manure, green manure, and bone meal and places emphasis on techniques … Read more
Rain Water Harvesting Water forms the lifeline of any society. Water is essential for the environment, food security and sustainable development. All the known civilizations have flourished with water source as the base and it is true in the present context too. Availability of drinking water and provision of sanitation facilities are the basic minimum … Read more
Soils develop as a result of the interplay of 5 factors; Parent material, climate, organisms, relief and time. Soil formation or soil genesis refers to changes of soil properties with time in one direction: the content of one component or mineral in a certain horizon decreases or increases‚ sedimentary layering disappears‚ etc. Mostly‚ such changes … Read more
Soil conservation planning on watershed basis Watershed development activity was taken up in the country prior to independence in the state of Maharashtra (then Bombay state) as a scarcity relief work during drought years in which contour binding programme for conservation of moisture and control of soil erosion was mostly undertaken, After independence, during the … Read more
Soil consists of rock and sediment that has been modified by physical and chemical interaction with organic material and rainwater, over time, to produce a substrate that can support the growth of plants.” Soils are an important natural resource. They represent the interface between the lithosphere and the biosphere – as soils provide nutrients for … Read more
Problems of soil erosion and degradation in Maharashtra Konkan Region This region is located between 1;044′ and 20°20′ N lat. and 700 10′ and 730 50′ E long. with a longitudinal distance of 500 krns and a width of 15-20 kms. It comprises of four districts, namely Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane and Raigad. The northern part … Read more
Natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation A natural resource is something that is found in nature and can be used by people. Earth’s natural resources include light, air, water, plants, animals, soil, stone, minerals, and fossil fuels. People need some natural resources to stay alive. They use others to make their lives better. Many … Read more
Agroecology Agroecology shares much in common with other approaches to sustainable farming. Agroecology is farming that “centers on food production that makes the best use of nature’s goods and services while not damaging these resources.” Farming thrives when it works with local ecosystems, for example, improving soil and plant quality through available biomass and biodiversity, … Read more