TRANSIENT CROPS: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES AND MAINTENANCE - BIOLOGY - 2024

The transient cultures are those that cover a lower vegetative cycle of 12 months, in some cases reaching only 3 to 6 months. They are also called short cycle crops or annual crops, and are the opposite of perennial crops.

Some examples of this type of crop are cereals (rice, barley, corn, wheat), oilseeds (cotton, sesame), tubers (potato, sweet potato), vegetables (broccoli, onion, cauliflower, paprika, tomato) and various floristic and ornamental species.

Vegetables are the main transitional crops. Source: pixabay.com

The main peculiarity of transitory crops is that, after being harvested, the plant ends its vegetative cycle. In fact, the plants must be removed from the ground and, to achieve another harvest, a new planting must be started.

Frequently, the production of transitory crops is destined for human consumption directly or as perishable processed foods. In the same way, they are a source of raw material for the agri-food industry and for animal consumption, either direct or in the form of concentrated feed.

characteristics

Crop cycle

In transitory crops, the crop cycle ranges from the moment of sowing, through germination, growth, flowering and fruiting, until reaching the harvest. When the harvest is over, the plant dies, so it is necessary to start the cycle to obtain a new production.

Plants as diverse as those of chard, zucchini, onion, lettuce, corn, cucumber or tomato complete their life cycle after being harvested. For this reason, if a new production is desired, it must be cultivated again.

Crop cycle duration

Taking into account the period between the beginning of sowing and harvesting, temporary crops last twelve months or less; hence the name "transitional cultivation" is synonymous with short-cycle cultivation or annual cultivation.

In temperate zones the life cycle of most vegetables ranges from early spring to mid-autumn. In the tropics, horticultural production takes place all year round, depending on environmental conditions and the availability of irrigation.

Currently the use of greenhouses has allowed the production of temporary crops throughout the year based on agricultural demand. In this way, crops such as lettuce or spinach carry out several productive cycles during a year.

Examples

- Chard (65 days).

- Pea (between 10 and 90 days).

- Onion (between 120 and 150 days).

- Lettuce (60 days).

- Potato (between 90 and 120 days).

- Beet (75 days).

- Paprika (between 80 and 100 days).

- Tomato (between 80 and 90 days).

- Cauliflower (between 120 and 150 days).

- Corn (between 90 and 120 days).

Field work

Short-cycle crops require high investment, both in human and economic capital. The effective control of various agronomic parameters allows obtaining the maximum yield from each crop.

Types

The classification frequently used to differentiate transitional crops is based on the type of production. They are grouped into: vegetables, cereals, oilseeds, and roots and tubers.

Vegetables

Vegetables constitute the group of plants produced in orchards, beds or greenhouses, consumed directly or as processed foods.

Its production requires an integral management of the crop, which includes irrigation, fertilization and control of weeds, pests and diseases.

Vegetables include legumes (beans, peas, beans) and vegetables (radish, celery, onion, eggplant), excluding cereals and fruits.

Green peas. Source: pixabay.com

These plants are grown mainly for their high nutritional level, which includes minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, fibers and carbohydrates, among others.

Cereals

Mainly, cereals are a source of energy obtained through grains rich in starches, lipids, proteins, cellulose and fibers. Cereals include rice, oats, barley, rye, corn, millet, sorghum, and wheat.

Most cereal crops are produced mechanically. It is worth mentioning that the raw material obtained from these must be processed for human or animal consumption.

Wheat. Source: pixabay.com

Oilseeds

Oilseeds are plants from which oil is extracted from their fruits or seeds. Among the most common oilseeds are sunflower, peanut, corn, soybean, olive tree, oil palm, rapeseed and almond or safflower.

The oil extraction process can be carried out by hand, but the largest productions are carried out industrially.

Sunflower. Source: pixabay.com

Roots and tubers

Roots and tubers are plants whose edible products contain high levels of carbohydrates, provitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Among the most prominent are celery, sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, squash, cassava and carrots.

It is essential to include the roots and tubers in the daily diet, whether as fresh, cooked or industrially prepared food.

Tubers (Solanum tuberosum) Source: pixabay.com

Cultural work

The agronomic or cultural management of the transitory crop is related to those activities that are carried out from sowing to harvest. Its objective is to obtain a healthy crop that achieves high yields.

Below we will describe the most important tasks that must be carried out to obtain a high quality crop:

Land preparation

These are field jobs that include plowing, harrowing, subsoiling and leveling the ground.

These activities are carried out in order to condition the soil to receive the seeds or seedlings during transplantation.

Sowing

Sowing consists of placing the seed in the substrate or soil conditioned for the growth and development of the plant.

In transitory crops, sowing can be done directly: by spot, broadcast or running stream. There is also indirect sowing, which is done by transplantation from seedlings.

Transplant

Transplantation is the activity of sowing seedlings obtained from seeds grown in seedlings in the field.

The main characteristic of the seedling to be transplanted is the presence of between 4 and 6 true leaves.

Thinning

Thinning is a cultural practice that consists of eliminating weak plants to offer better development conditions.

The thinning is carried out in flow sowing, where the plants grow very close together (turnip, beet or carrot).

Hilling

It is a process that consists of gathering soil around the stem in order to strengthen its development and growth.

Ringing

It is a production technique that consists of replacing seedlings that have deteriorated after transplantation. The objective is to avoid empty spaces in the crop and maintain productivity.

Harvest

The harvest is carried out by starting the final product of each crop, taking it directly from the plant and using scissors or mechanized.

Once the final product is harvested, it must be conveniently stored for direct distribution or for transportation to the agro-industry.

Maintenance

Irrigation

It is a fundamental activity for transitory crops, since the growth and development of the crop depend on the effectiveness of irrigation.

Irrigation is based on the type of crop, soil conditions, and the availability of water and labor.

It is recommended to water in the cool hours of the morning or at the end of the afternoon, spreading the water directly to the crop without wetting the foliage.

Tutored

In creeping plants -such as peas, cucumbers or tomatoes- tutored prevents the fruits from being damaged during the production phase. The objective is to place stakes or other elements that provide support to the crops.

Weeding

Weeding allows you to remove unwanted plants from the crop. Weeds compete for space, water, nutrients, and solar radiation; In addition, they attract pests and diseases.

Comprehensive pest and disease management

Comprehensive management is a strategy that allows controlling not only pests and diseases, but also weeds or weeds.

This activity includes cultural practices, biological control and, if necessary, chemical control.

References

1. Friend Antonio (2018) Short cycle crops. Recovered in: mundohuerto.com
2. Cereal (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: wikipedia.org
3. Vegetable (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: wikipedia.org
4. Oil plant (2018) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Recovered at: wikipedia.org
5. Roots and Tubers (2008) Puerto Rico Agricultural Information Resource Center. Recovered at: cridag.net
6. Rodríguez R. Mariela (2015) Cultural Work. Guide to maintaining an organic and healthy garden. Alternativas Foundation. 15 p.
7. Sifontes Jhosymar (2015) Vertical Structure of Short Cycle Crops. Recovered at: sofoscorp.com
8. Silva Veymar M. (2017) The cultivation of vegetables. Integral Management of Natural Resources in the Tropics Project (VDCI - UNDOC). 28 p.