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Rigveda extols the Kshetrapati (क्षेत्रपतिः) in the sukta (4.57) which summarizes all the activities of a farmer. We will be victorious and happy with the association of our friend and owner of the field, the Kshetrapati. Let the owner of the field bestow upon us cattle, horses and nourishment.
Rigveda extols the Kshetrapati (क्षेत्रपतिः) in the sukta (4.57) which summarizes all the activities of a farmer. We will be victorious and happy with the association of our friend and owner of the field, the Kshetrapati. Let the owner of the field bestow upon us cattle, horses and nourishment.
Agriculture is an age old practice and ancient Indians had good knowledge of soil, seeds and sowing method including transplantation, seasons of plantation, use of pesticide, manuring and irrigation. Post-harvest operations of crops, for consumption like grinding, pounding, winnowing, domestic operation like baking, firing, grilling, steaming, cooking under pressure, churning butter and kitchen utensils etc were common. The Soma juice and other fermented drinks with details of base materials, ferments and manufacturing techniques were known from ancient times.
Agriculture is an age old practice and ancient Indians had good knowledge of soil, seeds and sowing method including transplantation, seasons of plantation, use of pesticide, manuring and irrigation. Post-harvest operations of crops, for consumption like grinding, pounding, winnowing, domestic operation like baking, firing, grilling, steaming, cooking under pressure, churning butter and kitchen utensils etc., were common. The Soma juice and other fermented drinks with details of base materials, ferments and manufacturing techniques were known from ancient times.
Broadly the processes which are performed by a farmer include the following eight steps from crop selection to harvesting.
Broadly the processes which are performed by a farmer include the following eight steps from crop selection to harvesting.
==== Soil Fertility ====
==== Soil Fertility ====
The plant fertility depends on three factors: a) Conservation of top soil, b) Replenishment of soil exhaustion and c) Manuring of individual plant. Of these three, removal of soil exhaustion was possibly considered the best way to restore soil-fertility
The plant fertility depends on three factors: a) Conservation of top soil, b) Replenishment of soil exhaustion and c) Manuring of individual plant. Of these three, removal of soil exhaustion was possibly considered the best way to restore soil-fertility.
==== Bhuminirupana ====
==== Bhuminirupana ====
==== Crop Specimens ====
==== Crop Specimens ====
A host of crops scattered in the Yajurvedic texts show the presence of cereals, legumes, oil seeds, fibrous plants, fruit crops and green vegetables.<ref name=":3">Roy, Mira. ''[https://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/IJHS/Vol44_4_2_MRoy.pdf Agriculture in the Vedic Period.]'' Indian Journal of History of Science, 44.4 (2009) 497-520</ref>
Since man started cultivation of crops and intercourse among, people living far apart began through trade, diffusion of cultivars also occurred. Indigenous crops of India are few, viz. rice, urd (bengal gram), moong (green gram), kulthi (horsegram), sarson (mustard), cotton and sugarcane. As far back as Harappan times wheat, peas and chana came from western Asia via Iran. Africa gave us jowar (sorghum) bajra and sesamum.
The best evidence of this statement is in the finds of foodgrains from archaeological sites and supported by cytogenetic. and phytogeographic research. A host of crops scattered in the Yajurvedic texts show the presence of cereals, legumes, oil seeds, fibrous plants, fruit crops and green vegetables.<ref name=":3">Roy, Mira. ''[https://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/IJHS/Vol44_4_2_MRoy.pdf Agriculture in the Vedic Period.]'' Indian Journal of History of Science, 44.4 (2009) 497-520</ref>
* '''Cereals''':
* '''Cereals''':
(a) Rice (vrihi): Four cultivated varieties were seen, viz. black (krshna), white (shukla), quick-grown (aasu) and mahavrihi (large grained). The last two varieties were confined only to central India. The quick-grown variety appears to have been known as shastika (ripens within sixty days) in the later periods.
(a) Rice (vrihi): Four cultivated varieties were seen, viz. black (krshna), white (shukla), quick-grown (aasu) and mahavrihi (large grained). The last two varieties were confined only to central India. The quick-grown variety appears to have been known as shastika (ripens within sixty days) in the later periods.