THIS POST IS CONTINUED FROM PART 6 BELOW—
WHEN YOU DO CROP STUBBLE BURNING , WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS ARE ELIMINATED ALONG WITH PESTS , IN ADDITION TO CREATING PRICELESS BIOCHAR ..
THIS IS THE CHEAPEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD..
THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES RESISTANT HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDE.
IF DELHI PRONE TO TEMPERATURE INVERSION GETS SMOG, SHIFT THE CAPITAL ..
THERE ARE MANY VARIETIES RESISTANT HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDE.
IF DELHI PRONE TO TEMPERATURE INVERSION GETS SMOG, SHIFT THE CAPITAL ..
WHEN YOU FLOOD RICE FIELDS WEEDS ARE ELIMINATED ALONG WITH PESTS.
BURNING CROP RESIDUES CAN REDUCE THE SURFACE SEED BANKS OF MANY WEEDS. ALL CROP RESIDUES CAN PRODUCE A SUFFICIENTLY HEATED BURN TO KILL WEED SEEDS. A NARROW WINDROW WILL BURN AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE AND IMPROVE WEED SEED KILL..
BURNING RESIDUES MAKES IT EASIER TO SOW THE SUBSEQUENT CROP, IMPROVES DISEASE AND PEST MANAGEMENT AND ELIMINATES SHORT-TERM NITROGEN TIE-UP.
BIOCHAR IS HIGHLY POROUS AT THE MICROSCOPIC LEVEL DUE TO ITS BEING MADE AT RELATIVELY LOWER TEMPERATURES AND HAS THE UNIQUE ABILITY TO READILY ABSORB MOISTURE AND CERTAIN NUTRIENTS.
FROM A SOIL PERSPECTIVE, BIOCHAR CAN BE THOUGHT OF AS A MICROBIAL CONDOMINIUM. AFTER IT IS INITIALLY MADE, BIOCHAR UNDERGOES A MATURATION PERIOD DURING WHICH IT ABSORBS NITROGEN (UNTIL SATURATION POINT) FROM THE ENVIRONMENT, USUALLY FROM COW URINE, COMPOSTING ETC
AFTER THIS PERIOD, THE BIOCHAR BECOMES A STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR BACTERIA AND FUNGI TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE.
IN POOR AND LEACHED SOILS, MICROBIAL ACTIVITY IS OFTEN VERY LOW, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DRY SEASON; THE ADDITION OF BIOCHAR TO THESE SOILS MEANS THAT THE SOIL MICROBES NOW HAVE A STABLE AND MOIST PLACE TO RESIDE AND PROSPER, EVEN DURING THE DRY SEASON.
AS A RESULT, THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FERTILIZER SHOULD DECREASE OVER TIME, AS THESE NOW-RESIDENT MICROBES ARE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SOIL, AND EVEN BECOME FOOD THEMSELVES FOR LARGER SOIL ORGANISMS, SUCH AS EARTHWORMS.
FURTHERMORE, NUTRIENTS STORED IN THE PORES ARE SLOW-RELEASED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS MORE AND MORE MICROORGANISMS TAKE UP RESIDENCE.
BALLS TO CLIMATE CHANGE DUE TO INDIA BURNING CROP STUBBLE.. USA MUST STOP DROPPING “GOOD” BOMBS
BIOCHAR IS ONE OF THE LEADING MEANS FOR TAKING CO2 OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND BINDING IT UP INTO SOILS AS A STABLE FORM OF CARBON. BIOCHAR WILL REMAIN IN THE SOIL FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
35% OF THE CARBON IN PLANT BIOMASS CAN BE PERMANENTLY CAPTURED AS BIOCHAR DURING THE PYROLYSIS PROCESS, PUTTING IT WAY AHEAD OF MANY OTHER LEADING TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE AIMED SOLELY AT CARBON CAPTURE
FIELD TRIALS INVOLVING BIOCHAR HAVE SHOWN CROP YIELDS TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY..
THE PH OF ACIDIC SOIL CAN BE INCREASED / OPTIMIZED THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF BIOCHAR.
THE MICRO-POROUS STRUCTURE PROVIDES A HABITAT FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF BENEFICIAL SOIL BIOTA.
THE SURFACE AREA OF BIOCHAR HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO 300 M2/G (ACTIVATED CHARCOAL HAS A SURFACE AREA OF UP TO 2,000 M2/G!), MOST OF WHICH IS FOUND INTERNALLY AND PROVIDES AMPLE AREA FOR MICROBIAL HABITAT.
THE LARGE SURFACE AREA OF BIOCHAR CAN ATTRACT AND HOLD ALL MINERAL IONS - NOT ONLY CATIONS (+) SUCH AS AMMONIUM, CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM AND POTASSIUM, BUT ALSO ANIONS (-) SUCH AS NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, SULFUR, AND BORON.
BY ATTRACTING AND HOLDING BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE NUTRIENT IONS IN THE SOIL, BIOCHAR CAN REDUCE BOTH LEACHING (INTO GROUNDWATER) AND OUT-GASSING (INTO THE ATMOSPHERE). THESE LOOSELY-HELD NUTRIENTS ARE BIO-AVAILABLE TO MICROBES AND PLANT ROOTS IN THE COMPLEX ROOT ZONE.
BIOCHAR CAN IMPROVE SOIL TEXTURE AND WORKABILITY, PARTICULARLY HEAVY CLAY SOILS, ALTHOUGH IT HAS SHOWN GREAT PROMISE IN ALL SOIL TYPES.
PLANTS GROWN IN BIOCHAR AS A GROWTH MEDIUM (AT CONCENTRATIONS AS LOW AS 1 TO 5% OF THE TOTAL SOIL MIXTURE) TEND TO HAVE A HIGHER RESISTANCE TO PESTS AND DISEASES
BIOCHAR'S NATURAL AFFINITY FOR NITROGEN ALLOWS IT TO ARREST THE FLOW OF THE NITROGEN CYCLE. IT TENDS TO ONLY RELEASE AS MUCH NITROGEN INTO THE SURROUNDING SOIL AS IS NEEDED BY MICROBES AND PLANTS TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY GROWTH
COVERING FIELDS WITH EXTRACTED CROP STUBBLE ( A POOR ALTERNTIVE ) AS A MULCH MUCH GIVES A HOME TO PESTS, SCORPIONS, RATS AND SNAKES .. THE SOIL GETS DEGRADED ..
BELOW: BIOCHAR OVER BULLSHIT MULCH --ALWAYS !
BELOW: CLIMATE CHANGE ZIONIST CUNTS WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS..
BELOW: NARROW WINDROW BURNING - FOR ELIMINATING STUBBORN WEEDS ..
HIGHER TEMPERATURES ARE INVOLVED WITH LESS SMOKE..
CROP STUBBLE BURNING IS DONE TO PRODUCE BIOCHAR ..
TALL GRASSES BURN QUICK AND HOT, HOWEVER, CLOSE TO THE GROUND WHERE THE ROOTS START, AIR IS EXCLUDED SO THE BASE OF THE GRASSES WILL PYROLYZE AND NOT BURN.. BIOCHAR IS THE RESIDUE OF INCOMPLETE ORGANIC PYROLYSIS
THE PROCESS CREATES A FINE-GRAINED, HIGHLY POROUS CHARCOAL THAT HELPS SOILS RETAIN NUTRIENTS AND WATER….
BIOCHAR (BC) IS A FINE GRAINED, HIGHLY CARBONACEOUS, PYROLYSED (LOW TEMPERATURE) PRODUCT OF BIOMASS. THE PYROLYSIS TEMPERATURE STRONGLY INFLUENCES THE STABILITY OF BIOCHAR IN SOIL; THE HIGHER THE PYROLYSIS TEMPERATURE HIGHER WOULD BE THE STABILITY.
BIOCHAR BEING HIGHLY STABLE IN SOIL DUE TO ITS AROMATICITY, PRESENCE OF AMORPHOUS STRUCTURE AND TURBOSTATIC CRYSTALLITES, ROUNDED STRUCTURES AND REDUCED ACCESSIBILITY TO DECOMPOSERS HAS LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR LONG-TERM CARBON SEQUESTRATION.
THE HIGHER STABILITY OF BIOCHAR IN SOIL IS ALSO DUE TO STRONG INTERACTIONS WITH MINERAL SURFACES. BIOCHAR INTERACTS WITH NATIVE SOIL ORGANIC MATTER (SOM) IN A COMPLEX WAY
BIOCHAR SERVES AS AN ELECTRON BUFFER FOR REDOX REACTIONS AND HELPS BACTERIA SWAP ELECTRONS AMONG THEMSELVES, IMPROVING THEIR METABOLIC EFFICIENCY AS A MICROBIAL COMMUNITY.. ..
WITH ITS PORES AND ITS ELECTRICAL CHARGES, BIOCHAR IS CAPABLE OF BOTH ABSORPTION AND ADSORPTION.. ..THE SURFACES OF BIOCHAR, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, ADSORB MATERIALS BY ELECTRO-CHEMICAL BONDS, WORKING LIKE AN ELECTRIC SPONGE...
BIOCHAR SURFACES ADSORB CARBON AND RETAIN IT IN COMPOUNDS WITH MINERALS, SUPPORTING AT THE SAME TIME A LARGE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY THAT POTENTIALLY MAKES MORE EFFICIENT USE OF ORGANIC DEBRIS CONTAINING CARBON AND OTHER NUTRIENTS...
UNLIKE BIOCHAR, COMPOST IS QUICKLY BROKEN DOWN BY MICROBIAL ACTION IN SOIL OVER MONTHS TO AT MOST, DECADES, DEPENDING PRIMARILY ON CLIMATE... BIOCHAR LASTS AT LEAST TEN TIMES LONGER IN MOST SOILS....
BIOCHAR IS EFFECTIVE AT RETAINING NITROGEN IN SOILS AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR CHEMICAL UREA... BIOCHAR, AS A FORM OF RECALCITRANT CARBON, IS THE MEDICINE THAT DELIBERATELY DEGRADED AND UNPRODUCTIVE INDIAN TOP SOILS NEED
DUE TO RELATIVE INERTNESS, BIOCHAR APPLICATION CONTRIBUTES TO THE SOIL REFRACTORY ORGANIC CARBON POOL.. BIOCHAR IS CARBON NEGATIVE AND THUS RESULTING IN LONG-TERM REMOVAL OF CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE
SOILS STORE THREE TIMES MORE CARBON THAN EXISTS IN THE ATMOSPHERE.. CARBON SEQUESTRATION REFERS TO THIS PROCESS OF STORING CARBON IN SOIL ORGANIC MATTER AND THUS REMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE
WORMS LIKE DECOMPOSING ORGANIC MATERIAL TO EAT.
BIOCHAR DOESN'T DECOMPOSE. IN FACT, WHAT SMALL PIECES OF BIOCHAR THAT ACTUALLY PASS THROUGH A WORM'S DIGESTIVE TRACT WOULDN'T OFFER MUCH TO THE WORM BY WAY OF NUTRITION. BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY CHARGE THE BIOCHAR WITH ALL SORTS OF WONDERFUL ENZYMES AND BACTERIA
DUE TO ITS ABILITY TO RETAIN SOIL NUTRIENTS FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, BIOCHAR REDUCES THE NEED FOR CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS.
BIOCHAR IS THE MOST PROMISING TOOLS TO REMOVE CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AND PERMANENTLY SEQUESTER CARBON (C) IN SOILS.
Putting land into fallow to conserve moisture and nutrients has long been a management practice in areas where moisture levels don’t support continuous cropping. In order to get the maximum benefits of fallow, growers should control the weeds. Left uncontrolled, weeds can use up all the moisture and nutrients, producing millions of seeds and further adding to weed pressure.
A clean fallow is a period during which no crop is planted and the soil is regularly hoed to eliminate weeds. The bare soil and regular stirring of the soil provide cues that prompt seed germination and the young weeds are then destroyed.
Similarly, the rest period between hoeings gives perennials time to move carbohydrates from storage roots or rhizomes into shoots which are subsequently removed, thereby depleting the storage organs (Exhaust perennial roots).
A period of clean fallow prior to planting is sometimes referred to as a 'stale seedbed' though properly, this term only applies if the weeds are killed without disturbing of the soil surface (e.g., with a propane flame)
FALLOW PERIODS ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR THE ERADICATION OF PROBLEM PERENNIAL STUBBORN WEEDS IN ORGANIC SYSTEMS.
When done correctly, flame weeding is fast, efficient and inexpensive relative to the cost of hand weeding.
Flame weeding provides just enough heat uniformly across the bed top to quickly heat and expand the moisture in the cell walls of the just-emerged dicot weeds, killing the dicot seedlings. Using a backpack flamer, a small grower can knock out the weeds that have germinated just prior to crop emergence, and easily diminish weed pressure .
Note that because the growing point of grasses is below the soil surface, flame weeding is not considered effective for control of grass weeds.
TRANSPLANTING IS THE PROCESS OF MOVING A FULLY GERMINATED SEEDLING (OR MATURE PLANT) AND REPLANTING IT IN A PERMANENT LOCATION FOR THE GROWING SEASON
The use of transplants in a farming system has major benefits in terms of weed management. Direct seeding of small-seeded crops can be extremely challenging when weed pressure is high due to the high rate of competition and the difficulty and precision required to remove the competing weeds.
Using transplants gives the grower a jump on the weeds and will often be the difference between a crop’s success and failure.
Root crops (carrots, beets, turnips, etc.) are not suited to transplants as the process will damage the root..
Some things just don’t like to be transplanted. spinach, beets, carrots, and peas are examples of plants that like to start and finish in the same place, mostly due to having a delicate root system.. Transplants give you a huge jumpstart on the season because they will mature sooner and give you an earlier harvest.
You can also increase your harvest with succession planting—planting the same thing several times per season to ensure continuous harvest. For example, you can start your first lettuce succession via transplants and then directly sow lettuce seeds every 2–3 weeks into your garden.
Transplants can be more resistant to insect and other pest pressure because they are more mature and stronger when you first put them into your garden. Many insect pests just love teeny tiny seedlings. Skipping that stage all together and using transplants can save some veggie loss.
Veggies to Transplant or Start in Trays--
Celery
Eggplant
Kale
Broccoli
Leeks
Onion
Peppers
Scallions.
Tomato
Transplanting is the process of moving a fully germinated seedling (or mature plant) and replanting it in a permanent location for the growing season.
Transplanting ensures a uniform plant stand and gives the rice crop a head start over emerging weeds.
Transplanting allows crop intensification as the crop is in the main field for less time.
If the field does not have weeds, excess water can be saved by avoiding flooding..
Machine transplantation not only saves the labour cost required for tilling the land but also brings down the usage of water to a minimum as there is no need to keep the farmlands drenched for days as in traditional method.
IN PLACES LIKE KERALA SMALL FIELD OWNERS HAVE ABANDONED FARMING DUE TO EXORBITANT DAILY WAGES DEMANDED BY COMMUNIST GOVT SPONSORED LABOR.
Zero tiller machines which increase the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil and raises organic matter retention and cycling of nutrients in the soil. A zero tiller mostly consists of a seedbox, fertiliser box, seed and fertiliser metering mechanisms, seed tubes, furrow openers, seed and fertiliser rate adjusting lever and transport-cum-power transmitting wheels.
The goal of blind cultivation is to remove the initial flushes of weeds when they are very small and most sensitive to disturbance. Blind cultivation takes advantage of the difference in size and sprouting depth between crop and weed seeds. Most weed seeds are smaller than crop seeds, and they germinate shallower in the soil. Annual weeds are most sensitive to disturbance from after germination to emergence. At these early stages, breaking contact between the tiny roots and the soil will kill most weed seedlings.
Blind cultivation works best when the soil is loose and in good physical condition and the crop is actively growing. By stirring and shaking the top inch of soil, early season weeding or blind cultivation creates a loose dry layer of soil that is too dry and airy for weed seeds to germinate or grow in. This layer also serves as a dry mulch that conserves soil moisture. The crop seeds are safely below this layer and are not hurt by a shallow weeding before emergence.
Field preparation stimulates many weed seeds to germinate. These annual weed seeds quickly sprout and emerge before or with the crop. At this point, a rapid and brutal race ensues which will quickly determine which type of plant will have dominance in the field. We must work decisively to give our intended crop the advantage and to reduce the competition.
If our blind cultivation eliminates most of the first flush of tiny weeds, the crop will rapidly begin to suppress subsequent germinating weed seeds. Therefore, our goal in blind cultivation is to give the crop the greatest possible initial size advantage over the weeds before we come in with the row cultivator. If we can establish a favorable crop/weed size differential, the crop will then achieve dominance and we will then be almost assured a clean crop, or at least one where row cultivation will be much easier, faster, and more effective.
We have a short window of about two to three days, depending on weed species, when the first flush of germinating weeds are at their most susceptible. This window starts the day you can see the white hair roots when you scratch the soil surface with a stick or knife and continues until about a day after the weeds have emerged, depending on the weather. At this point you don’t see any weeds from a truck window or tractor seat, but if you kneel down on the ground, there is a light reddish-green haze over the soil. Sometimes you can just see tiny weeds growing in soil cracks.
The success of the first blind cultivation is extremely important because it must give the crop an initial head start. The intention, of course, is to remove the weeds without harming the crop. The first pass usually takes place just before the crop emerges.
At that stage the crop is able to survive a fairly aggressive weeding and weeds are usually small enough to be easily destroyed. Crop susceptibility to weeder damage is very low until the tip of the plant shoot is near the soil surface. The potential for crop damage rises rapidly as the crop emerges and until after the first leaves extend.
The crop can suffer some of the same types of damage by the weeders as the weeds do, and because of that, we have to be aware of what the weeders are doing. If the crop has emerged but is too small, it can be buried too deeply to re-emerge and may be suffocated. The crop can also be broken or plucked out. Soybean hypocotyls, for instance, are very fragile in the crook stage.
If the weather is cool during this time, they are much more brittle. Usually the crop and the weed points of greatest susceptibility don’t coincide. However, sometimes when our timing is less than ideal, it is important to assess how much crop damage is occurring and to get a sense for how much damage can be tolerated.
If we do the first pass too early, the crop may need a second weeding before the crop is large enough to withstand the action of the weeder; too late, and the weeds will be already resistant to the weeders, and/or the crop may be at a stage where it is too sensitive to survive an effective aggressive weeding. It is always best if we can hit this ‘sweet spot’, with the crop, weeds, weather and equipment at the ideal point for control!
The timing of the second blind cultivation is critical to eliminate the ‘second flush’ of weeds that emerged after the first weeding. The second pass must occur before weeds are big enough to become tolerant to the weeder action. We try to wait until the crop is as large as possible so the machine can be adjusted to a more aggressive setting, reaching more of the weeds.
This is often a rather delicate balance, tempered by weather and labor. But when we can hit the second weeding right, the crop is off to a good start and we have several weeks of a breather before we have to come in to row-cultivate.
We need to have the tools available that can take out the weeds without doing excessive damage to the crop in all the different situations that we may have to deal with. This is why, on our farm, we have several different blind cultivation tools with varying configurations. This isn’t an exact science, and there are some days when we switch between two or three tools before we are satisfied that we have chosen the best one for the conditions.
An experienced operator with a clear understanding of his soil, the weeds species, the crop stage, and the influence of the weather can do a great job with less-than-ideal equipment. The fanciest or most expensive equipment will not ensure good weed control. Instead, success is determined by the skill of observation and the agility to make the right decisions at the right time.
When the relative stages of the crops and the weeds don’t occur as we want, or when the weather prevents weeding at the right time, having the right equipment and the skills and experience to make the right adjustments can help make the difference between success and a weedy field.
There are a number of tools used for blind cultivation. They fall into two main categories – the various types of harrows and the rotary hoe.
Tine weeders, or flexible harrows, are the most widely used tools for blind cultivation. Examples of tine weeders are the Kovar coil tine harrow, the Einboeck tine weeder and the Lely finger weeder. The action of a tine weeder is determined by tine shape, tine size, tine spacing, tine length, type of toolbar, and the suspension of the units.
Tine weeders are effective in a wide range of crops and conditions. They perform well in stony soil and can pass over moderately large stones without being damaged. The variety of available tines and adjustments make doing a good job of weeding possible under difficult soil conditions and when weather prevents proper timing of operations.
Most tine harrows are either drawn by a toolbar and suspended from chains or attached to ‘U’ shaped pieces, or “wishbones”, that can self-level laterally and be leveled from front to rear with a hydraulic top link that tips the toolbar back and forth.
It is important to operate tine weeders so that all the tines penetrate equally and the units are level. In the more rigidly mounted models, this can be accomplished by adjusting the length of the top link until all the tines are running evenly. Using a hydraulically adjustable top link makes fine tuning the weeders very easy. With the chain suspended models, this adjustment is more difficult to achieve, especially in hard or crusted soil.
The front tines often have to work harder than the others to break the soil. This tends to lift the rear tines or to spring the front tines back farther than the ones at the back of the implement. To compensate, we need to raise the toolbar so that the front chains pull up at the front of the unit, leveling it and forcing the rear teeth deeper into the soil. This is much easier to do on three-point hitch mounted machines than in trailing models. Adding a little weight to the rear of the tine units may also help make them run level.
If chain-mounted weeder units begin to hop, rock, or lunge while weeding, the tines can’t move properly in the soil. The springs may all bend back and then snap out of the soil together causing the whole weeder unit to jump. This action repeats in a cycle that makes the whole unit jump up or twist around in a regular rhythm. When this happens, the unit moves, instead of the teeth. Reducing speed usually stops this erratic motion.
The most common cause of this problem is hard or crusted soil with too much speed for the conditions. Sometimes units running in wheel tracks will jump while the rest of the units are working fine. This is due to the compaction in the wheel tracks. To address this problem, the operator must slow down or use rigidly mounted weeder units.
Straight-tine weeders freely move forward, backward, and side to side, producing a rotating action. They move soil sideways and level the land by filling low spots and knocking down ridges. This action covers weeds more than it uproots them. Small seedlings are easily killed by this tool, and even most large weeds are covered with soil.
The sideways movement of the tines can damage young soybean plants by knocking off leaves and breaking stems and can also bury small corn seedlings. Corn that is buried between emergence and the 2 leaf stage can push back out of loose soil if rain doesn’t come too soon after weeding. If it rains before the buried corn seedlings push back out, they can be sealed in the ground and die.
Some farmers operate weeders at an angle to the rows on the first pass and then with the rows when they make the second pass. The cross hatch pattern that results covers the field very thoroughly. This approach works well in large wide fields but is more difficult to use in long narrow strips.
It is important to check how much additional soil is pulled over the rows, especially when weeding a field that is soft. It is possible for the weeder to bury the yet-to-emerged crop much deeper than it had originally been planted. With small seeds or seed with low vigor, this could hurt the stand quite severely.
This can be especially true if a hard rain after weeding causes crusting. If this happens, it is important to weed the field again to break the crust and help the crop emerge. A rotary hoe or bent-tine weeder may be better than a straight-tine weeder for helping a crop emerge through a crust. These tools are more gentle and tend to lift the soil at the surface from over the buried seedlings rather than pushing it across the top of them.
The straight-tine weeder is excellent on any large seeded crop that has not yet emerged. It’s aggressive action is very effective on weeds and does very little crop damage when used pre-emergence. Once the crop has emerged, it becomes much more vulnerable. Crops are softer and less likely to break off in hot weather and, if possible, should be weeded in the afternoon during the hottest part of the day. Corn becomes more vulnerable to damage when the leaves begin to unroll. Soybeans are most sensitive after emergence but while still crooked.
In soft, loose, uncompacted soil, it is possible to operate a weeder at a much higher ground speed than when the soil is hard. The straight-tine weeder does not perform as well in crusted or hard tight soil. In crusted soil, it helps to add some weights to the back of the units to make them go in better.
The tines are worn on an angle from being pulled in the normal direction so that the sharpened points cut through the crusted soil quite effectively when pulled in reverse. A second pass immediately after the first will often improve weed control in hard soil. Driving at an angle to the rows may also help.
It is very important to weed early if a crust begins to form to prevent it from becoming hard. Once a soil crusts, it must be broken up as soon as possible to stop it from getting worse. A crust will continue hardening and become thicker if it isn’t broken up. It is important to get air back into a crusted soil as quickly as possible.
In a wet season, it is better to bury weeds than to uproot them. Seedlings re-root easily when they lay on top of damp soil. Weeders with straight tines that level the field and can move soil sideways will cover weeds more than uproot them. Rain after a weeding is very likely to seal the surface enough to prevent even shallowly buried weeds from coming back up. When soil is hard or crusted, some extra weight on the back of the weeder sections may help. Transferring some weight from the toolbar to the units by changing to the newer self leveling supports may help.
Forty-five degree bent-tine weeders are very good for loosening tight or crusted soil. The 45° tines are more effective at uprooting weeds than they are for covering them. The longer tines are better able to follow the surface of the soil so that they loosen the soil evenly. These tines will give the same action in low spots that they do in high spots.
Because of this, there is much less soil leveling in the action of these weeders than with the straight tine units. The 45° teeth loosen soil uniformly but do not move much soil sideways. For this reason, these tines are usually less damaging to emerged soybeans than the straight tines. They are less likely to bury small crops deeply but more likely to pull plants out.
The angle of the tines on the 45° units is adjustable from a very flat swept back orientation to an aggressive angle where the teeth are pointed forward so that they pull themselves in. These units will penetrate a hard soil much better than straight tines, especially when the teeth are set into their most aggressive position.
The close spacing and the stiffness of the tines on the Einboek machine can be overly aggressive with some soils and crops, especially when the weeders are equipped with the shorter (390mm), stiffer, and larger-diameter tines. The Kovar machine has widely spaced, long flexible tines (25-inch) that sometimes deflect sideways away from ridges, leaving narrow strips on each side of the rows unweeded. This has not been a problem as long as the cultivator is adjusted properly, because the cultivator cleans up these strips of missed weeds if they occur.
Eighty-five degree bent-tine weeders will penetrate deeper than other weeders. An example of such a weeder is the Lely finger weeder. The angle of the teeth, rather than down pressure or the weight of the units, causes the 85° teeth to pull into the soil. This type of tooth can lift and break up a heavy crust despite the small light teeth. These weeders are exceptionally well suited for tap-rooted crops. The hooked tine goes in deep but does not pull out soybeans, kidney beans or other crops with a straight tap root. Instead, weeding seems to stimulate the crops’ growth.
While the 85° tine is very gentle on beans, it can do serious damage to crops with branching root systems, such as corn and small grains. Corn produces axillary roots that branch off from the stem. The 85° bent tines will penetrate deep enough in soft soil to get under the branched roots and pull out the small corn seedlings.
If an 85° tine weeder is to be used in this type of crop, it must be watched carefully and adjusted to stay above the branches of the crop roots. The crop should be examined carefully for damage after going a few yards, and the operator needs to be aware of areas in the field with softer soil where the tines can go deeper to be sure that the crop roots are not being damaged.
In warm, dry weather with good sun and/or wind, the newer weeders with longer bent tines work better to uproot weeds, lay them on top and dry them out. The 45° tooth works well with corn and beans, while the 85° tooth weeders are better on beans or other tap-root forming crops. The branching roots of corn are damaged and pulled out by the aggressively hooked teeth of the Lely type weeders, while the straight tap roots of beans are unaffected.
The 85° tines primarily break the connection between the soil and the weed roots. They are particularly effective at uprooting weeds because they penetrate so deeply. They are the most effective weeders for quackgrass because the tines can pull up quack roots very efficiently.
In fields with a lot of quackgrass, these weeders may plug with roots and so may need to be cleaned out by hand or sometimes by shaking the weeder up and down by the lift arms. This should be done outside of the field over a ditch or in a driveway to insure that the roots can’t reestablish themselves. This also prevents the tangled weed piles from plugging cultivators later in the season.
Rotary hoes are best used from before weed emergence to very early post emergence. Weeds must be very small or not yet emerged for good control. It’s very important to keep hoe tips in good repair as they lose their effectiveness quickly with very little wear. “Hoe-bits” are replacement tips that can be welded onto the worn tips; these actually make the hoe more effective than it was originally.
Rotary hoes generally work by uprooting and desiccating (drying out) tiny weed seedlings. They are very gentle on the crop and can be used when more aggressive weeders cause too much crop damage. Best results with a rotary hoe come right after a light rain when the soil is just lightly crusted and breaks apart easily into ‘chips’. It’s important to maintain high speed when using a rotary hoe.
The height of the tool bar together with the strength of the ‘down pressure springs’ on a rotary hoe determine the ground pressure of the hoe wheels. This adjustment is usually controlled by setting the position of the tractor lift arms. In tight or crusted soil, it may be necessary to add some weights to the tool bar to achieve enough down pressure to do a good job.
If the tractor has a quick hitch, this adds enough weight to hold the tool bar in the right position under most conditions. Rotary hoes generally need to be set to be level with the ground. In extremely hard soil, extending the top link to tip the machine back may increase the ground pressure slightly, but this should only be done if none of the other adjustments are sufficient to make the machine penetrate correctly.
Ground speed with a rotary hoe should usually be between 8 and 12 mph, and the hoe tips should penetrate deep enough to go through any crust that has formed. In soft soil, the hoe tips may penetrate as deep as 1.5 to 2 inches without excessive harm to most crops.
A very shallowly planted crop, however, can be damaged by a rotary hoe that is set too deeply. Some farmers have improved the weed control by adding a second set of hoe wheels behind the first set so that the crop is actually hoed twice with each pass, or by going over the field twice.
Rotary hoes work primarily by uprooting weeds and/or by loosening the soil from the tiny roots of the weed seedlings. Stony soils can present a serious problem to rotary hoes. Large stones can bend and damage the delicate parts of these machines.
Smaller stones, especially those 2- to 3-inches in diameter, can get stuck between the hoe points, bending them or stopping the wheels from rotating. If this happens directly over a row and is not immediately detected, it can tear out a long section of a row in a very short time.
Spike-tooth harrows have been used as weeders for many years. They were probably the first tools to be used by farmers as weeders.
German farmers used spike-tooth harrows extensively to control weeds in small grains fields before the coming of herbicides. Spike-tooth harrows fell out of use around World War II with the advent of chemical weed killers.
Spike-tooth harrows are very effective weeders. They can both uproot and bury weeds. The angle of the spikes can usually be adjusted with a handle from straight up and down to angled back at a flat angle to the soil. Rocks are a big problem with spike-tooth harrows. Rocks can easily get caught in the harrow and take out a row of crop, or they can roll under the harrow and lift the teeth out of the ground so that the weeds aren’t controlled.
Spike-tooth harrows can sometimes be overly aggressive and damage the crop especially in cool weather when plants are brittle. Spike-tooth harrows work best on very hot afternoons when the corn is soft and flexible. Tine weeders have largely replaced spike-tooth harrows because they are effective and have better crop safety.
Spring-tooth harrows are extremely aggressive, but they are sometimes used for weeding. Because of their potential to do crop damage, spring-tooth harrows are generally only used in emergencies where the crop will otherwise be lost.
If a field is so infested with big, grassy weeds or crusted so badly that no other tools can loosen it, a spring-tooth harrow may be able to save it. This is a drastic measure but it often works as a miracle rescue if done carefully.
If a field is so infested with big, grassy weeds or crusted so badly that no other tools can loosen it, a spring-tooth harrow may be able to save it. This is a drastic measure but it often works as a miracle rescue if done carefully.
A drag (springtooth harrow) with worn teeth set just as shallow as possible while still having all the teeth in the soil should be used. Often, the drag is drawn across the rows rather than with them. The tractor needs to be run slowly, and the driver should be prepared for a scary sight when they look back.
Corn treated like this often perks up and starts to grow rapidly after being dragged. The stand loss from the dragging is usually high. But in cases where nothing else will work, there is really nothing to lose by trying this tool, because the stand would be worthless anyway if nothing is done.
Corn treated like this often perks up and starts to grow rapidly after being dragged. The stand loss from the dragging is usually high. But in cases where nothing else will work, there is really nothing to lose by trying this tool, because the stand would be worthless anyway if nothing is done.
Chain-link harrows are more commonly used on pastures, but they can do a good job of weeding. If plugging is not a problem and no other tools are available, a chain-link harrow can do a good job of controlling weeds before crop emergence.
A chain link harrow would not be a good choice for post-emergence use because of crop damage
A chain link harrow would not be a good choice for post-emergence use because of crop damage
In-row cultivation is the last piece in effective non-chemical weed control on an organic farm. In many ways, cultivation is the ‘crown jewel’; it is here where the skill, ability, observation and timing of a good operator makes or breaks the effort (much more so than the choice of any particular piece of equipment).
Successful organic weed control is the sum of all operations and cultural management. The purpose of the cultural methods (crop rotation, soil fertility management, sanitation, good seed, cover crops, etc.) and early season weed control (blind cultivation) is to achieve the greatest possible crop-weed size differential, especially when there are many acres to be cultivated. The last stage, in-row cultivation, is the final performance in the whole package of organic weed control strategies.
From the very start, it is important to consider in-row cultivation as a ‘cleanup’ procedure, not as the primary weed control. Well-timed early weed control is absolutely essential to reduce the size of the weed population before it becomes a threat to the crop.
Even with a good job of blind cultivation, there are usually some escapes (weed seeds that get away and resprout), and, especially when wet weather prevents proper timing, there may be lots of escapes. Subsequent in-row cultivation is then necessary to provide clean, productive fields.
When it is necessary to in-row cultivate crops that are very small, it is impossible to do a good job on more than a few acres per day. Weeders allow delaying the first cultivation until the crop is large enough to cultivate deeply and rapidly.
Many organic farmers don’t have weeders, don’t have the right weeders, or don’t know how to operate them to get optimum weed control. The first two articles in this series describe basic weed control principles and blind cultivation techniques and equipment.
Cultivation also provides many other beneficial effects far beyond the weeds. Indeed, cultivation is very important for aerating the soil, stimulating crop root growth, conserving soil moisture, and providing insulation from the hot sun with a loose, dry soil mulch.
Few conventional farmers who cultivate their crops spend much time adjusting their cultivators. Herbicides take care of most of the weeds, and skilled cultivator operators are hard to find. Many conventional farmers feel that if they can keep the machine between the rows and avoid taking out too much crop, then they can ‘cultivate’.
This careless approach will not work on organic farms. Getting the weeds between the rows is the easy part! The real art and skill of cultivating is whether you can also get the weeds within the row without excessively damaging the crop plants.
When the crop rows are clearly visible and the corn plants are 8 to 10 inches tall, or soybeans are in the third trifoliate stage, it is time to begin in-row cultivation. On most organic grain farms, usually two cultivation passes are required. The first pass is the most critical to determine the season’s weed control, but the second pass is often necessary to eliminate the weeds that were stimulated to grow by the first cultivation, to ‘hill up’ the crop, and to further aerate the soil.
The stage of the weeds and the weather usually dictate how we time our cultivations. The period of greatest vulnerability for most weeds comes at a different time after planting than that of the crop plants. Because crop seeds are generally large and are planted deeper than most weed seeds, their window of maximum vulnerability mismatches that of the weeds. We have to take this difference into account when developing our weed control strategy.
The vulnerability of plants to mechanical disturbance goes through a predictable cycle, starting with a seed that has not yet started to germinate. At that stage, seeds are virtually indestructible by anything other than biological activity. Until a seed imbibes water and begins to grow, weeders and cultivators have little effect.
A seedling is most vulnerable from the time it germinates until after the plant has fully emerged from the soil. Once the cotyledons are fully extended and true leaves begin to develop, the seedling again becomes harder to injure. The exact timing of these stages varies between species; generally, once plants are past the unifoliate stage, most seedlings are much more difficult to damage.
Timing is indeed everything. Unfortunately, knowing the correct timing and being able move forward are not always the same thing because of challenging weather conditions. Often, we have to do the best we can; by combining the effects of two blind cultivation passes with one to two in-row cultivation passes, we have much more flexibility with sub-optimal conditions (and usually this results in good weed control).
This is an important point to make, since there is an oft-repeated fallacy out there that organic farmers have to cultivate many, many times during a season for adequate weed control. This is not true! It is the timing and skill with which the operations are performed that is most critical, not the number of passes made. If everything else is done right, and if blind cultivation is timed correctly with the right equipment, one to two passes with a row cultivator should be sufficient for good weed control in organic row crops.
Badly timed weedings can actually make the weeds worse. Making a large number of poorly timed or poorly executed passes will result in failure, no matter how many trips are made over the field.
When the first blind cultivation is timed just right, the weeders can be run very aggressively and will achieve almost complete control over the first flush of weeds. When this happens, the second blind cultivation can wait until the crop is large enough to allow another aggressive weeding.
However, if our first blind cultivation leaves too many escapes or if the first weeding fails to sufficiently decrease the second flush of weeds, we may have to do our second weeding before we really want to and then may have to come in with the cultivator before the crop plants are really big enough. Cultivating crops that are too small is slow, difficult and requires much fatiguing concentration to avoid injuring the crop plants.
It is important to remember that whenever soil is disturbed, a new flush of weeds will be stimulated to germinate. Fortunately, these later weeds are much easier to control, but they still must be considered in the timing of cultivations and weeding operations.
Most cultivators built in recent years were not well-designed to control weeds in the row. While it is sometimes possible to do a reasonably good job with a modern rear-mounted cultivator, when the conditions are difficult or weeds are heavy, the shovels next to the row can’t be adjusted with enough precision nor can it be operated close enough to the row to take out the in-row weeds.
Front-mounted or belly-mounted cultivators, or pusher cultivators on bi-directional tractors, are far easier to keep on the row and work close enough to the crop plants. The operator needs to be able to easily see all of the cultivator shovels. Carefully watching the soil flowing around the front cultivator shovels and crop plants helps the operator to keep the shovels adjusted precisely where they need to be.
It is important to continually adjust speed and down-pressure on the go to respond to variations in soil conditions across the field and to always keep the action of the cultivator as aggressive as possible without excessive crop damage. This is not possible when the operator can’t look at the cultivator while steering the tractor.
Danish or S-tine teeth will allow the greatest operating speed, they are not easily damaged by rocks, they will handle the most crop residue without plugging and they are relatively inexpensive, but they do not penetrate as well in hard soil and large-rooted weeds may slip around the flexible teeth, thereby avoiding damage. When this happens, putting on narrower shovels will make them penetrate deeper and give better control. Of different types of cultivator teeth, the operator has the least control over the action of the flexible Danish tine teeth.
C-shank cultivator teeth are more rigid and give the operator better control over the action of the shovels. These may be the best teeth for hard or rocky soil and for heavy infestations of quackgrass and other weeds with underground rhizomes. They are less likely to plug in grassy conditions than trip shanks but much better able to take out large weeds than Danish tines.
Trip-shank teeth are the most rigid and allow for the slowest progress, but they give the operator superior weed control and adjustment ability. These are also the most expensive, large rocks can break the trip-shanks, and it takes a more experienced operator to make the necessary adjustments to get the full benefit of trip-shank teeth.
There are many different types and widths of points that can be put on the different cultivator teeth. Danish tine cultivator teeth offer the least opportunities to vary point type, while trip-shank teeth offer the greatest choice.
The most versatile type of points are probably half sweeps next to the row and full sweeps between the row. Each type of point works best under specific conditions and on certain weed species. For example, a type of point called a ‘beet knife’ is particularly effective on nutsedge. Narrow spikes may sometimes be used to advantage to aerate waterlogged soil.
We use a double cultivator arrangement, with trip-shanks on the front cultivator and half sweeps next to the row to get good weed control within and immediately next to the row. The rear-mounted cultivator, which has C-shank teeth with full sweeps, covers the between-row area.
While this combination is slower than a single Danish tine cultivator, it gives excellent control of most types of weeds, even under an unfavorable crop/weed size differential. Other organic farmers have had success with rear-mounted Danish tine cultivators with 5 shanks and 2 1/2-inch duck feet points between each row. If the ground is hard or there is a quackgrass problem, 1-inch spikes angled forward to dig deeper can be used.
There are as many ‘right’ ways to set a cultivator as there are farmers who can get their fields clean of weeds. Every farmer who is good at cultivating develops their own unique combination of equipment, settings and special ‘tricks’ that are especially well-suited to the soils, crops, and conditions found on that farm.
No two farmers will do the job exactly alike, yet each one can be a master in his own right. Until the late 1940s, cultivating was a skill that every farmer had to possess. The skill was passed down from one generation to the next. Every community had ‘good’ farmers who could be called upon for advice when you weren’t quite getting the weeds (or for any other problem that you might encounter).
Our communities have lost countless farmers who held this important knowledge with no one to pass it on to.
However, this attention to detail and perfection must be balanced with a view of the whole farm and an honest assessment of how much time it will take to cover all the acres adequately. Taking too much time to get every last weed in one field may make it impossible to cover all the rest of the acres on time.
It’s important to keep the whole crop in perspective and not spend too much time making the first few fields immaculate. You also have to know when to stop and say you have done your best. Tractor operations after canopy closing will usually crush and tear crop plants excessively and may be of no further benefit, as shade from crop leaves will kill weeds trapped under the canopy.
If at all possible, it really helps to work with an experienced farmer to learn to evaluate how the soil should flow past the cultivator teeth, how much side pressure on the row is best, how much dirt should be pushed into the row to bury the weeds, how to make the proper adjustments, and how hard you can treat the crop without hurting it. The real art of cultivating is learning how to make the right observations and then figuring out how to match those observations to making appropriate—and changing—adjustments.
There is a big advantage in being able to get on a perfectly adjusted cultivator when you start out and to see how the soil flows when a real master has set the shovels to match the crop and soil conditions. As adjustments are needed, it is much easier make the right ones when you have seen what ‘working right’ looks like. Once we know exactly how we want the machine to achieve, it is much easier to get and keep it there.
Remember that weeds can push back up out of dry soil unless they are buried fairly deep. Escaped weeds are far more damaging to crop yield in dry weather than when there’s sufficient rain. The soil that the cultivator hills up around the row provides a dry mulch and stops water from being brought to the surface and lost by capillary action. Soil moisture in the hill is much higher than in uncultivated soil, and the crop grows far more roots in the loose soil of the hill than when the soil is left uncultivated.
Conventional wisdom says that cultivating deep and disturbing roots in dry soil hurts the crop. We have never seen any evidence to support this assumption. We find that new roots grow quickly into the loose soil left by cultivator shovels and the crop responds with a spurt of growth. Many organic farmers say that a pass with the cultivator has the same effect on the crop in dry weather as a half inch of rain.
There are many adjustments that can be made while cultivating to match the effect of the machine to the conditions and needs. Choosing the appropriate adjustments is not easy to summarize because conditions constantly change, across the field, in different crops, in different soils, even over the course of a day as the weather and moisture conditions change.
In general, there are five main cultivator adjustments possible:--
tractor speed
angle of the shovels, laterally and horizontally to the row
depth of the shovels
down pressure on the gangs, on cultivators with springs
distance of the shovels from the row
Relatively little adjustment is possible with Danish tines other than varying speed and depth and by changing the type of the points. With C-shanks, it is possible to change the angle to the soil and to the row slightly, but because they are springs, this adjustment changes in the soil as the cultivator moves. This is not a major problem when the cultivator is set deep and working between the rows, but it limits the success of controlling weeds within the rows. Trip-shanks allow wide adjustment of the angle of the points, both to the row and to the soil.
Depth of the point is also easily adjusted. Because trip-shanks are rigid, the adjustments remain constant while cultivating. For example, by twisting the shank toward the row, a much greater amount of soil will be pushed into the row. Conversely, by twisting the shank away from the row, the soil thrown into the row is reduced. Changing the angle of the point to the soil can adjust for hard or soft soil. Under the right soil conditions, setting the points at an extreme angle to the soil can create a bulldozer effect, squeezing the crop row tightly with soil and thereby killing many weeds growing between the crop plants (and burying the rest).
Peter says that it is very important to have a well-equipped toolbox on the tractor, complete with all the sizes of wrenches you might need, along with Vise Grips, hammers and spare shovels. This permits in-field adjustment and repair, saving considerable amounts of time and aggravation. Usually, we try to avoid cultivating in overly wet conditions. When weeks of nonstop rain come at critical times of the year, we sometimes have to go into very wet fields to save the crop. Having a log chain along can be a real convenience during the wet, muddy summers we have known recently.
When soil has had a chance to dry out gradually after a rain, the soil is looser and there are substantially fewer lumps, which allows for greater cultivator speed and a larger hill. Conversely, if the soil is wet, slabby or when the surface dries too fast after a rain, soil lumps or soil ribbons develop and roll onto the plants, doing more crop damage and requiring the cultivator to go much more slowly. If you have to cultivate in wet conditions, twisting a piece of wire around the shovel can help break up the slabs of dirt.
It is important to remember the pattern of the first cultivation and reverse the direction for the second cultivation. This can get weeds that were not fully removed in the first cultivation and can compensate for gaps in cultivator coverage.
Adjustments will need to be done continuously through the day as soil moisture and field conditions change and as shovels wear or go out of adjustment. All rows need to be watched for adjustment needs. As you move along, watch all the rows, don’t just lock in on only one row. If you don’t watch all the rows, you can go along quite a ways—and can do lots of crop damage and miss lots of weeds—before you realize something is wrong.
It is essential to really focus on the rows and the job while cultivating because even a slight drifting in one row can rapidly result in large sections of the corn or bean row being very effectively hoed out. For this and numerous other reasons, we don’t like to use cab tractors to cultivate, because we can better see the rows and the cultivators—and respond must faster—if we are not so isolated. However, we have installed canopies on all the cultivating tractors for operator comfort and safety.
Loosening and letting air into the soil keeps it aerobic and stimulates soil organisms. It also stimulates nitrogen mineralization and nutrient cycling in the soil, and the CO2 that escapes from loose, freshly cultivated soil enhances crop growth.
In-row cultivation is in many ways the heart of what makes an organic farm productive and successful, especially on grain farms where weeds are the primary challenge. However, like the heart of an organism, cultivation works best when it is part of a complex and well-coordinated choreography of soil improvement, crop rotation, cultural methods, and other mechanical weed control operations, along with cooperation with the weather.
The finger weeder is a simple mechanical intra-row weeder that uses two sets of steel cone wheels to which rubber spikes, or “fingers” are affixed . These fingers point horizontally outwards at a certain angle and operate from the side and beneath the crop row with ground driven rotary motion.
The rubber fingers work the soil just below the surface, uprooting small weeds located very close to the crop. There are a very large range of options on the basic design, including different diameters/sizes, a wide range of materials used for the weeding fingers, from steel, through a range of plastics, fabric reinforced rubber and even brushes.
The torsion weeder is a very simple, affordable design consisting of two steel rods, one on each side of the crop row to uproot small weeds while pushing soil into the row . Torsion weeders work by breaking up the soil in the intra-row, but with more of a shattering effect than the mixing/churning effect of finger weeders. Torsion weeders use spring tines connected to a rigid frame and that are bent so that two short tine segments are parallel to the soil surface and meet near the crop plant row.
The French plow or grape hoe consists of a cutting blade that undercuts weeds working just a few inches below the berm surface and a sensor system to rotate the blade out of the row to avoid contact with the vines
Between-row cultivation, also called inter-row cultivation, controls weeds that grow between the rows, and therefore is only used in row crops. Inter-row cultivation is done three to five weeks post planting. Inter-row cultivation is low risk to the crop compared to intra-row (i.e., within the row) operations.
Generally, cultivation is performed at depths less than two inches so that crop roots are not damaged and soil moisture is conserved. If the young crop is in danger of becoming buried by soil or weeds during cultivation, shields can be used on the cultivator. Implements used for inter-row cultivation can include basket weeders, brush weeders, rolling cultivators, rotary tillers, field cultivators, and flex-tine harrows
Basket weeders, also referred to as rolling cages, are cylindrical, made of quarter-inch spring wire, and ground-driven . Basket weeders consist of two rows of metal baskets that roll across the soil surface at different speeds. The first set of baskets loosens the soil and the second pulverizes it, uprooting young weed seedlings.
Brush weeders uses flexible brushes made of fiberglass or nylon rotated about vertical or horizontal axes . These weeders mainly uproot, but also bury and break weeds. The soil must not be too hard or too fine. When the soil is too hard, the brush weeder will remove only the part of the weeds above the soil, and the weeds will readily regrow.
Rolling cultivators have gangs of three to five “spider wheels” (wheels of strong, curved, cutting teeth radiating from a center hub) that mount independently on a toolbar . The angle that they work the soil, and thus their aggressiveness, is usually adjustable. The number of gangs grouped together determines cultivator width, and these are usually rear-mounted, but pairs of gangs may be belly mounted to work a row or two.
Field cultivators are the most common machine used for mechanical weed control for row crops when they a few inches tall . Commonly used cultivation setups consist of a shank, which is typically long and narrow (either straight, C-, or S-shape) attached to a toolbar, with a cultivating tool (duckfoot, goosefoot, shovel, sweep, knife, hilling disc, etc.) attached to the bottom of the shank.
Usually there are three to five shanks, called a gang, mounted on a toolbar. The distance between the crop rows and the precision of the implement determine the working width of the gangs. The width of the toolbar and the number of blades depends on the width of the working.
Flex-tine harrows use a series of flexible tines mounted in overlapping rows vibrate as they drag through soil, ripping out small weeds. As previously mentioned, these tools are most effective when weeds are in the “white thread” stage (single white roots are visible on weeds when soil is disturbed, often before leaf appearance).
Weather and soil conditions play a very important part in the success of cultivation. Ideally, soil conditions should be dry and warm to desiccate and kill the weeds on the surface. Dry soil will enable the cultivator to be effective at uprooting the weeds without creating clods or “root balls.”
A false or stale seed bed is a seedbed created some weeks before seed is due to be sown. The early seedbed is used a weed control technique. It is designed to germinate weed seeds that have been disturbed and brought to the soil surface during cultivation, so that the young weeds can then be eliminated.
The tilled soil increases the chance of weed seed germination as the fine soil allows seed to grow rapidly than in compacted soil and dormant seeds are brought to the surface. The weeds must then be destroyed before they can create new seeds.
By destroying them early, the farmer eliminates most of that season's annual weeds, and nominally increases soil nutrient content.A stale seed bed technique of weed control creating a seedbed some weeks before seed is due to be sown.
The early seedbed is designed to germinate weed seeds that have been disturbed and brought to the soil surface during cultivation, so that the young weeds can then be eliminated before they can propagate.
The stale seedbed technique; a weed management practice in which weed seeds just below the soil surface are allowed to germinate and then killed prior to planting the cash crop while minimizing soil disturbances.
The stale seedbed technique is based on the premise that weeds which germinate and emerge before the crop is planted are easier to manage. Ideally when using this technique, only the seeding or transplanting operation should be responsible for disturbing the soil.
BELOW: THE BEES DO POLLINATION AS WELL AS WELL AS DELIVERING ORGANIC PESTICIDE.
BELOW: THE BEES DO POLLINATION AS WELL AS WELL AS DELIVERING ORGANIC PESTICIDE.
An entomovector is a pollinating insect used as a vector to spread a ORGANIC substance used in the biocontrol of plant pests and diseases. The insect is typically a honey bee, but may be any variety of insect that spreads pollen among plants.
The choice of vector species is decided by a combination of native species in the area to be pollinated, the plant species to be treated, and the ease of care of the vector species
The substance is typically a powdered substance containing a fungus to be used to protect the host plant from a given disease or pest. The insect, or vector, is typically exposed to this material by placing a tray containing the powder at a hive exit or by using fans to blow it into the hive..
RESISTANCE TO A CHEMICAL TENDS TO DEVELOP QUICKLY, OFTEN IN AS LITTLE AS THREE OR FOUR YEARS. THAT DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ENTOMOVECTORING.
BECAUSE ENTOMOVECTORING TYPICALLY DEPLOYS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS RATHER THAN CHEMICALS, IT CAN QUALIFY AS ORGANIC.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE BEES IS THAT THE BIOPESTICIDE BVT DEVELOPED DOES NOT HARM THE INSECTS OR IMPACT THEIR HONEY.
- Dear Captain
Organic Farming outside India - Do they also use Humped Cow Dung and Urine?
A false or stale seed bed is a seedbed created some weeks before seed is due to be sown. The early seedbed is used a weed control technique. It is designed to germinate weed seeds that have been disturbed and brought to the soil surface during cultivation, so that the young weeds can then be eliminated.
The tilled soil increases the chance of weed seed germination as the fine soil allows seed to grow rapidly than in compacted soil and dormant seeds are brought to the surface. The weeds must then be destroyed before they can create new seeds. By destroying them early, the farmer eliminates most of that season's annual weeds, and nominally increases soil nutrient content.
The technique can be utilized in early spring, when the weather is still too cold for proper seed germination By tilling, the farmer increases the chance of weed seed germination by the same method as one would for favorable vegetable/crops: the fine soil allows weed seed to grow rapidly by allowing the seed to open and the roots to spread easier than in compacted soil.
Deep tilling will also bring dormant seed to the surface for germination; some species of plant are known for seeds that can lay deeply buried in the soil for years before favorable conditions allow germination.
After weeds have sprouted, they are hoed off or eliminated with the other means (e.g., use of a flame weeder) before sowing of the actual crop. Timing is important; weed seeds must be destroyed before they themselves can create new seeds. By destroying them early, the farmer eliminates most of that season's annual weeds. Turning the dead weeds back into the soil also increases soil nutrient content, although this difference is slight.
In many cases, several tillings are done, perhaps every two weeks beginning in very early spring. This allows more and more weed seeds to germinate only to be killed off later. This eliminates more weeds, but care must be used to not delay planting of a desirable crop later than the crop needs for a successful season's growth.
After several years, most, if not all, weeds can be eliminated from the seed bank in the soil. In some cases the effect can be noticed in the same year the process is first carried out.
Cow dung is high in organic materials and rich in nutrients. It contains about 3 percent nitrogen, 2 percent phosphorus, and 1 percent potassium (3-2-1 NPK) humpless cow has potentially dangerous pathogens like human shit..
Adequate soil phosphorus (P) is essential for optimal crop yields. Phosphorus from rock phosphate is not a chemical.. your farm can be certified organic even of you use rock phosphate..
Phosphorus tends to move downhill across the field and is less likely to leach vertically into the ground water..
Adequate soil phosphorus (P) is essential for optimal crop yields. Phosphorus (P) enables a plant to store and transfer energy, promotes root, flower and fruit development, and allows early maturity.
Bone meal is rich in slow release phosphorus
Bone meal is a mixture of finely and coarsely ground animal bones
IMPORTANT: Unless your soil pH is below 5.5, which is unlikely, the rock phosphate ( unless soft ) is completely insoluble.. That means it does not mix with water, and it is not available to plants
Eggshells contain calcium, phosphorus, sulfur and potassium, which help make plants healthy.
The world consumes around 140 million tons of high grade rock phosphate mineral today, 90% of which goes into the production of diammonium phosphate (DAP)
When phosphorus ends up in ponds and lakes, it causes excessive aquatic plant growth
Soil analysis provides current assessments of soil fertility/quality for crop growth..
Soil analysis is necessary in the formulation of accurate amendment recommendations for soil fertility and plant nutrition programs
Soil fertility is important in yields, crop health, crop quality, and the resistance and resilience of crop plants to pests and pathogens
Soil analyses can provide an accurate determination of a soil’s textural classification, which may help a grower anticipate how a soil will respond to cultivation as well as the soil’s nutrient- and water-holding capacity
A soil analysis provides quantitative data allowing for the comparison of a given soil’s nutrient and chemical profile with established benchmarks for each property. This helps to identify nutrient levels (or soil chemical properties such as pH) that are above or below optimal benchmarks. This may be remedied over the long term with annual soil amending.
Soil analysis helps to identify nutrients that exist at very low (limiting nutrients) or very high (potentially toxic) levels that may result in acute plant nutrient deficiencies or toxicity. Once identified, these soil nutrient imbalances may be addressed through amending and/or a supplemental fertilizing program.
Soil testing provides essential information (e.g., estimated nitrogen release) that may be used in developing efficient nutrient budgets for your crops
Soil testing allows for periodic monitoring of soil chemical properties in order to maintain the soil nutrient levels (and chemical properties such as pH) within the established optimal ranges and may serve as an accurate indicator of nutrient depletion or accumulation
Specialized testing may be used for specific soil nutrients of concern, to test the nutrient content of composts, as well as to determine the presence of pesticides, heavy metals, or other potentially toxic compounds in a soil.
Soil analysis is the foundation of a rational and efficient use of soil amendments and fertilizers. When properly applied, these inputs—along with other sound agricultural practices—will help develop productive agricultural soil and avoid the environmental and pest management problems associated with nutrient deficiencies and the overuse of fertilizers.
Soil analysis is therefore the foundation of a rational and efficient use of soil amendments and fertilizers that may help develop productive agricultural soil and at the same time avoid the problems associated with the overuse of fertilizers.
A soil test provides current quantitative information on the nutrient content and the nutrient-supplying capacity of a soil. This includes measures of % base saturation, which indicates the ratio of base ions held on the exchange sites; a quantitative measurement of the cation exchange capacity (CEC), a measurement of the soil’s potential to hold and exchange cation nutrients; and parts per million (ppm) of nutrients such as N, P, K, Mg, etc.
Base saturation is defined as the percentage of the soil exchange sites (CEC) occupied by basic cations, such as potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na).
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the total capacity of a soil to hold exchangeable cations. CEC is an inherent soil characteristic and is difficult to alter significantly. It influences the soil's ability to hold onto essential nutrients and provides a buffer against soil acidification.
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is a soil chemical property. It is the ability of the soil to hold or store cations. When soil particles are negatively charged they attract and hold on to cations (positively charged ions) stopping them from being leached down the soil profile.
A soil particle's ability to react with these molecules is called the cation exchange capacity. If the CEC number is low, not many molecules are able to bind (react) to the particle surface. ... High sand soils have low CEC values with the number increasing as the soil contains more clay, silt and organic matter.
If the CEC number is low, not many molecules are able to bind (react) to the particle surface. If the number is high, a larger number of molecules can bind to the particle's surface. ... High sand soils have low CEC values with the number increasing as the soil contains more clay, silt and organic matter
The relative ability of soils to store one particular group of nutrients, the cations, is referred to as cation exchange capacity or CEC. Soils are composed of a mixture of sand, silt, clay and organic matter. Both the clay and organic matter particles have a net negative charge.
To calculate the percent base saturation, divide the sum of the K, Mg, Ca, and Na (the bases) in meq/100g soil by the CEC (all these values were calculated above). Multiply the result by 100%. Example: K = 0.28 meq/100g soil.
Factors Affecting Cation Exchange Capacity-----
Soil texture: The negatively charged clay colloids attracts positively charged cations and holds them.
Clay soils with high CEC can retain large amounts of cations and reduce the loss of cations by leaching. ...
Soil organic matter: High organic matter content increases CEC.
Active acidity is the quantity of hydrogen ions that are present in the soil water solution. ... When the CEC of a soil is high but has a low base saturation, the soil becomes more resistant to pH changes. As a result, it will require larger additions of lime to neutralize the acidity.
In general, if the soil pH is below 7, the base saturation is less than CEC. At pH 7 or higher, soil clay mineral and organic matter surfaces are occupied by basic cations, and thus, base saturation is equal to CEC.
The amount of limestone needed to raise soil pH is dependent on the soil's resistance to pH change. Often this concept is referred to as “buffer capacity'.
The most common basic cations are calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Base saturation is the percentage of the soil particle surface occupied by these bases. Base saturation is most commonly used to determine if lime needs to be added to soil to reduce Ph
Organic matter also makes a very significant contribution to cation exchange, due to its large number of charged functional groups. CEC is typically higher near the soil surface, where organic matter content is highest, and declines with depth. The CEC of organic matter is highly pH-dependent.
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) CEC,is a calculated value that is an estimate of the soils ability to attract, retain, and exchange cation elements. It is reported in millequivalents per 100 grams of soil (meq/100g).
While hydrogen is not a nutrient, it affects the degree of acidity (pH) of the soil, so it is also important. Some other nutrients have a negative electrical charge in their plant-available form. ... Larger CEC values indicate that a soil has a greater capacity to hold cations.
The most common basic cations are calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Base saturation is the percentage of the soil particle surface occupied by these bases. Base saturation is most commonly used to determine if lime needs to be added to soil to reduce pH.
Higher CEC value of a soil indicates higher negative charge and the greater capacity of that soil to hold more cations. The relative proportion of acidic and alkaline or basic ions on the exchange sites determines a soil's pH value. ... CEC can also affect the frequency of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer applications.
Soil pH – This should always be the first thing you look at on a soil test. 6.8 is ideal for most crops. If you have low pH (below 6.3), add lime.
...
The ideal ranges you are looking for are:---
Potassium – 4% to 8%
Magnesium – 12% to 25%
Calcium – 65% to 80%
Hydrogen – less than 10%
Sodium – less than 1%
Soil colloids are the most active portion of the soil and determine the physical and chemical properties of a soil. Clay is defined as any particle that is less than 0.002 mm in size – this is tiny, requiring an electron microscope to view the individual particles.
You can improve CEC in weathered soils by adding lime and raising the pH. Otherwise, adding organic matter is the most effective way of improving the CEC of your soil.
The optimal pH range for most plants is between 5.5 and 7.0; however, many plants have adapted to thrive at pH values outside this range.
High CEC (clay) soils have a greater water holding capacity than low CEC (sandy) soils. Low CEC soils are more likely to develop. potassium and magnesium (and other. cation) deficiencies, while high CEC soils are less susceptible to leaching losses of these cations.
The effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) is defined as the total amount of exchangeable cations, which are mostly sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium (hereafter collectively termed as bases) in non-acidic soils and bases plus aluminum in acidic soils.
Soil organic matter (SOM or just OM) has both positive and negative charges, so it can hold on to both cations and anions. Both the clay particles and the organic matter have negatively charged sites that attract and hold positively charged particles.
There are four major reasons for soils to become acidic: rainfall and leaching, acidic parent material, organic matter decay, and harvest of high-yielding crops. Wet climates have a greater potential for acidic soils. ... Harvest of high-yielding crops plays the most significant role in increasing soil acidity.
The soil will attract and retain anions, rather than cations. In contrast to cations, anions are negatively charged. The anions held and retained by soil particles include phosphate, sulfate, nitrate and chlorine (in order of decreasing strength).
Micronutrients are often required as cofactors for enzyme activity. Mineral nutrients are usually obtained from the soil through plant roots, but many factors can affect the efficiency of nutrient acquisition. First, the chemistry and composition of certain soils can make it harder for plants to absorb nutrients.
To increase soil organic matter levels--
Grow perennial pasture. A period under perennial, grass-dominant pasture is an effective way of increasing organic matter in farm soils. ...
Grow cereal crops. ...
Grow green manure crops. ...
Spread manure. ...
Use organic fertilisers. ...
Keep cultivation to a minimum. ...
Concentrate organic matter.
Soil organic matter (SOM) is the organic component of soil, consisting of three primary parts including small (fresh) plant residues and small living soil organisms, decomposing (active) organic matter, and stable organic matter (humus).
- IN FIVE YEARS OF MISRULE, PM MODI HAS LED INDIA TO DROUGHT..
IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS MODI WILL LEAD INDIA TO FAMINE ...
INDIANS WERE THE FIRST TO DO ORGANIC FARMING AS WE WERE VEGANS , DESPITE BEING BLESSED WITH ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF MEAT AND FISH..
WE DID ORGANIC FARMING TILL A DESH DROHI NAMED MS SWAMINATHAN INTRODUCED GREEN REVOLUTION TO INDIA..
THE SCIENCE OF SOIL IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED.. THE SOIL IS NOT THE SAME ALL OVER INDIA..
IF WE WANT TO EXPORT "ORGANIC FOOD" IT HAS TO BE CERTIFIED BY APPROVED INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES..
WE HAVE LOST ALL OUR ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE PASSED DOWN FOR MILLENNIUMS FROM A FARMER DAD TO HIS SON..
NOW WE HAVE TO REBUILD FROM SCRATCH..
AN IDIOT CUM IGNORAMUS LIKE SUBHASH PALEKAR CANNOT DO THIS .. IT REQUIRES IIT BTECH TYPE BRAINS TO RECLAIM OUR TOP SOIL AND PRISTINE WATER WHICH WE LOST IN 55 YEARS FLAT..
I BET SUBHASH PALEKAR WONT EVEN KNOW THE pH VALUE OF WATER..
WHY DID MODI MAKE A STUPID SAFFRON CLAD WOMAN LIKE UMA BHARATI GANGES MINISTER? BECAUSE HE WANTED TO MILK VOTES..
I PREDICT THAT GUJJU NO 2 MODI WILL BLEED BHARATMATA MORE THAN ROTHSCHILDs AGENT KATHIAWARI JAIN JEW GUJJU NO 1 GANDHI.
CHILDLESS MODI NOW WANTS NOBEL PRIZE FROM HIS JEWISH MASTERS.. HE DOES NOT CARE..
WE CARE BECAUSE WE WANT OUR DESCENDANTS TO DO WELL.
READ ALL 6 PARTS OF THE UNFINISHED POST BELOW-- ONLY 65% COMPLETE..
https://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.com/2019/06/india-must-revert-to-organic_23.html
capt ajit vadakayil
..
Palekar says dung of one Indian cow is required for 30 acres instead it should be 5 humped cows in 1 acre which you mentioned.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.financialexpress.com/opinion/back-to-basics-with-zero-budget-natural-farming/1645068/lite/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.financialexpress.com/opinion/back-to-basics-with-zero-budget-natural-farming/1645068/lite/
https://www.indiatoday.in/science/chandrayaan-2-mission/story/isro-scientists-superstitious-follow-rahu-kaalam-unlucky-13-before-rocket-launch-former-official-1571882-2019-07-21
WE DONT CARE FOR NUMBER 13- THAT IS WHITE INVADERs NONSENSE..
WHEN ISRO SEND CHANDRAYAAN 1 AND MANGALYAAN TO MARS-- THE INDIAN SCIENTISTS FOLLOWED RAHU KALAM..
THESE SCIENTISTS KNOW THAT IT IS HIGH TECH TO SEND A ROCKET TO MARS/ MOON.
IT IS EVEN GREATER HIGH TECH -- IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RAHU AND KETU..
WE BREAK COCONUT BEFORE EVERY LAUNCH- AND WE DID IT WHEN MUSLIM ABDUL KALAM WAS IN CHARGE.. THIS IS QUANTUM PHYSICS..
INSTEAD OF URANUS/ NEPTUNE / PLUTO WE USE RAHU/ KETU AND MOON FOR ASTROLOGY AND MAKING OUR PANCHANGAM A CENTURY IN ADVANCE
IN THE LINK BELOW READ QUESTIONS TO QUORA TO UNDERSTAND RAHU AND KETU.. THIS IS ADVANCED SCIENCE – NOT SAVAGE SUPERSTITON..
LISTEN--I CAN WRITE A THICK BOOK ON RAHU AND KETU.. OPEN THE LINK BELOW AND READ THE QUESTIONS ABOUT RAHU AND KETU..
https://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.com/2019/06/archived-questions-to-quora-from-capt_15.html
QUESTIONS -- 1310 to 1365
QUESTIONS --1521 to 1532
INTENTIONS ARE POSITIVE SIGNALS WHICH WE GIVE TO OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND AS SOMETHING ACCEPTABLE AND TRUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE SECRETS OF BREAKING COCONUT WITH INTENTION..
WARNING- STUPID PEOPLE WHO RIDICULE ISRO/ DRDO OF SUPERSTITION WILL NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS..
WHY ARGUE WITH FOOLS?
THE SCIENCE IS AS CLEAR AS PREDICTING THE TIDES IN ADVANCE..
capt ajit vadakayil
..
.WE DONT CARE FOR NUMBER 13- THAT IS WHITE INVADERs NONSENSE..
WHEN ISRO SEND CHANDRAYAAN 1 AND MANGALYAAN TO MARS-- THE INDIAN SCIENTISTS FOLLOWED RAHU KALAM..
THESE SCIENTISTS KNOW THAT IT IS HIGH TECH TO SEND A ROCKET TO MARS/ MOON.
IT IS EVEN GREATER HIGH TECH -- IF YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IS RAHU AND KETU..
WE BREAK COCONUT BEFORE EVERY LAUNCH- AND WE DID IT WHEN MUSLIM ABDUL KALAM WAS IN CHARGE.. THIS IS QUANTUM PHYSICS..
INSTEAD OF URANUS/ NEPTUNE / PLUTO WE USE RAHU/ KETU AND MOON FOR ASTROLOGY AND MAKING OUR PANCHANGAM A CENTURY IN ADVANCE
IN THE LINK BELOW READ QUESTIONS TO QUORA TO UNDERSTAND RAHU AND KETU.. THIS IS ADVANCED SCIENCE – NOT SAVAGE SUPERSTITON..
LISTEN--I CAN WRITE A THICK BOOK ON RAHU AND KETU.. OPEN THE LINK BELOW AND READ THE QUESTIONS ABOUT RAHU AND KETU..
https://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.com/2019/06/archived-questions-to-quora-from-capt_15.html
QUESTIONS -- 1310 to 1365
QUESTIONS --1521 to 1532
INTENTIONS ARE POSITIVE SIGNALS WHICH WE GIVE TO OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND AS SOMETHING ACCEPTABLE AND TRUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE SECRETS OF BREAKING COCONUT WITH INTENTION..
WARNING- STUPID PEOPLE WHO RIDICULE ISRO/ DRDO OF SUPERSTITION WILL NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS..
WHY ARGUE WITH FOOLS?
THE SCIENCE IS AS CLEAR AS PREDICTING THE TIDES IN ADVANCE..
capt ajit vadakayil
..
PUT ABOVE CRITICAL COMMENT IN WEBSITES OF—
K SIVAN
ALL ISRO SCIENTISTS PAST AND PRESENT
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K RADHAKRISHNAN
E SREEDHARAN
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QUORA MODERATION TEAM
KURT OF QUORA
MARK ZUCKERBERG
THAMBI SUNDAR PICHAI
CEO OF WIKIPEDIA
DAVID FRAWLEY
STEPHEN KNAPP
WILLIAM DALRYMPLE
KONRAED ELST
FRANCOIS GAUTIER
EVERY HINDU ORGANISTAION
ALL DESH BHAKT LEADERS
SPREAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA
K SIVAN
ALL ISRO SCIENTISTS PAST AND PRESENT
ALL DRDO SCIENTISTS PAST AND PRESENT
K RADHAKRISHNAN
E SREEDHARAN
NAMBI NARAYANAN
AS KIRAN KUMAR
G MADHAVAN NAIR
K KASTURIRANGAN
G SATHEESH REDDY
NIRMALA SITARAMAN
FINANCE MINISTRY
PMO
PM MODI
NITI AYOG
AMITABH KANT
AJIT DOVAL
CBI
RAW
IB
ED
NIA
SPEAKER LOK SABHA
SPEAKER RAJYA SABHA
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
VP OF INDIA
ALL CENTRAL/ STATE MINISTRIES/ MINISTERS..
ALL MAJOR DISTRICT COLLECTORS / PROMINENT IAS OFFICERS .
CMs OF ALL STATES
GOVERNORS OF ALL STTES
CJI
ATTORNEY GENERAL
ALL SUPREME COURT JUDGES
ALL HIGH COURT CHIEF JUSTICES
DGPs OF ALL STATES
IGs OF ALL STATES
DEFENCE MINISTER/ MINISTRY
ALL 3 ARMED FORCE CHIEFS
AMIT SHAH
HOME MINISTRY
NCERT
EDUCATION MINISTER/ MINISTRY
I&B MINISTER/ MINISTRY
SWAMY
GURUMURTHY
RAJIVA MALHOTRA
ALL BJP SPOKESMEN
RSS
VHP
AVBP
RAJEEV CHANDRASHEKHAR
MOHANDAS PAI
RAM MADHAV
RAJ THACKREY
UDDHAV THACKREY
SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR
SADGURU JAGGI VASUDEV
BABA RAMDEV
SPEAKER LOK SABHA
SPEAKER RAJYA SABHA
SPEAKERS OF ALL STATE ASSEMBLIES
SOLI BABY
SALVE BABY
FALI BABY
KATJU BABY
KIRON KHER
MEENAKSHI LEKHI
SMRITI IRANI
ARUN SHOURIE
MADHI TREHAN
MADHU KISHWAR
SUDHIR CHAUDHARY
GEN GD BAKSHI
SAMBIT PATRA
RSN SINGH
SHASHI THAROOR
ANUPAM KHER
AMISH TRIPATHI
DEVDUTT PATTANAIK
CHETAN BHAGAT
N NARAYANA MURTHY
SUDHA MURTHY
CLOSET COMMIE ARNAB GOSWMI
RAJDEEP SARDESAI
NAVIKA KUMAR
ZAKKA JACOB
ANAND NARASIMHAN
SRINIVASAN JAIN
SONAL MEHROTRA KAPOOR
VIKRAM CHANDRA
FAYE DSOUZA
NIDHI RAZDAN
RAVISH KUMAR
PRANNOY JAMES ROY
AROON PURIE
VINEET JAIN
RAGHAV BAHL
SEEMA CHISTI
DILEEP PADGOANKAR
VIR SANGHVI
PRASOON JOSHI
PRITISH NANDI
ASHISH NANDI
JEAN DREZE
ARUNA ROY
HARSH MANDER
NANDITA DAS
ANAND PATWARDHAN
VINOD DUA
RAJAT SHARMA
JULIO RIBEIRO
ALL CONGRESS SPOKESMEN
RAHUL GANDHI
SONIA GANDHI
PRIYANKA GANDHI
LK ADVANI
MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI
SHOBHAA DE
ARUNDHATI ROY
SURESH GOPI
MOHANLAL
BARKHA DUTT
SHEKHAR GUPTA
SIDHARTH VARADARAJAN
N RAM
MANI SHANKAR AIYERAN
ROMILA THAPAR
IRFAN HABIB
NIVEDITA MENON
AYESHA KIDWAI
KARAN THAPAR
CNR RAO
PM BHARGHAVA
KIRAN MAJUMDAR SHAW
SHAZIA ILMI
VIR SANGHVI
PAVAN VARMA
RAMACHANDRA GUHA
DANIEL RAJA
BRINDA KARAT
PRAKASH KARAT
SITARAM YECHURY
SUMEET CHOPRA
DINESH VARSHNEY
ANNA VETTIKAD
SUDHEENDRA KULKARNI
PRAKASH RAJ
KANCHA ILAIH
JOHN DAYAL
KAVITA KRISHNAN
TEESTA SETALVAD
SWARA TRRR BHASKAR ( OR IS IT PRRRR ? )
RANA AYYUB
SNEHLA RASHID
PAGALIKA GHOSE
JOHN BRITTAS
KAMALAHASSAN
DILIP CHERIAN
SUHEL SETH
VC OF JNU
VC OF DU/ JU/ TISS
DEAN OF FTII
IRA BHASKAR
ADMIRAL LN RAMDAS
KAVITA RAMDAS
LALITA RAMDAS
NAYANTARA SEHGAL
RSS
VHP
AVBP
VIVEK OBEROI
MOHAN BHAGWAT
JAVED AKTHAR
NASSERUDDIN SHAH
GAUTAM SHEWAKRAMANI
QUORA CEO ANGELO D ADAMS
QUORA MODERATION TEAM
KURT OF QUORA
MARK ZUCKERBERG
THAMBI SUNDAR PICHAI
CEO OF WIKIPEDIA
DAVID FRAWLEY
STEPHEN KNAPP
WILLIAM DALRYMPLE
KONRAED ELST
FRANCOIS GAUTIER
EVERY HINDU ORGANISTAION
ALL DESH BHAKT LEADERS
SPREAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA
CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL
..
THERE MUST BE 99% OF EGO MASSAGE
AND
1% OF SUGGESTION..
PATHETIC FELLOW !