The essentials
Traditional texts treat seeds with great care. The Krishi-Parashara advises collecting seed from a healthy crop, drying it well and storing it safely, keeping it away from damp. The Arthashastra mentions exposing seeds to mist and heat and treating them before sowing. The Vrikshayurveda of Surapala describes soaking seeds in milk and coating them with substances such as ghee, honey and cow dung to help germination and protect against pests.
Sowing followed the season and soil. Seeds could be broadcast (scattered by hand) or dropped into furrows; rice was often grown in nurseries and transplanted. Farmers chose the time of sowing by observing rain, stars and the condition of the soil.
Manures were organic. Cow dung, animal remains, ash, oilcakes and green leaves were added to the soil. A well-known liquid manure in the Vrikshayurveda is kunapajala, prepared by fermenting animal remains (such as flesh, bone marrow or fish) with water and other materials; it was applied to plants to promote growth.
Key points
- Seed selection: from healthy, ripe crops; stored dry.
- Seed treatment: soaking, coating with ghee, honey, cow dung or milk.
- Sowing: broadcasting, line sowing in furrows, transplanting of rice seedlings.
- Manures: cow dung, ash, oilcakes, green manure, kunapajala.
- Crop rotation and fallowing helped restore soil fertility.
Exam tips
- Kunapajala is the most frequently asked term; remember it is a fermented liquid manure from the Vrikshayurveda tradition.
- Questions may ask why seed treatment was done — to improve germination and protect against disease and pests.
Common mistakes
- Calling kunapajala a pesticide spray made from neem — it is a liquid manure from animal remains.
- Assuming chemical fertilisers have long been used; traditional manures were organic.