CEREALS
Field crops are among the most important resources for plant production. Field crops largely meet people’s basic needs, such as nutrition, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Due to its geographical location, Turkey has the most suitable climate and soil conditions for field agriculture in the world. With the exception of some tropical plants, it has an ecology suitable for the growth of almost every cultivated plant. This is because it possesses vast and fertile lands characterized by three climates (Mediterranean, Euro-Siberian, and Irano-Turanian) and four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). It exhibits a dazzling biodiversity; for example, more than 10,000 plant species, one-third of which are endemic, grow naturally in Anatolia. Anatolia, the genetic origin and distribution area of many field crops, is a significant gene center for plant breeding. Furthermore, Anatolia boasts a deeply rooted agricultural tradition and culture spanning at least 10,000 years, a period when agriculture was born and developed globally.
Wheat, rice, and corn are the most commonly produced grains in the world, while wheat, barley, and corn are the most commonly produced in Turkey. Research has determined that the optimal planting time for wheat and barley, which are cool-season grains, is between September and November, while for corn, which is a warm-season grain, it is between April and June. Wheat and barley, planted in the fall for winter, spend the winter in the tillering phase, continue through the bolting, budding, and flowering phases in the spring, and are finally ripe and harvested in the summer. Summer corn, planted as a main crop, is planted in the spring and harvested in the summer or, at the latest, in the early fall. If it is planted as a second crop, it is planted as soon as the previous crop is harvested, and harvested in the fall.
Cotton
Plants grown or collected for the fibers they produce on various plant organs such as seeds, stems, leaves, and fruits are called “fiber plants.” As is the case worldwide, cotton (99.9%) is the most commonly produced fiber plant in Turkey. Research on cotton has determined that the optimal planting time is between April and May, and harvest time is between September and October. The cotton plant requires a spring with light but frequent rainfall, a moderately humid summer, and a long, dry, sunny autumn. At harvest time, the cotton seed (seed = fiber + seed) collected from the cotton bolls is ginned in cotton gins to separate the fibers from the seed and turn into cotton fiber, the raw material for yarn production. After ginning, the cotton is compressed in presses to form bales of 225-240 kg and ready for sale. The cottonseed obtained as a by-product of ginning contains between 16-20% oil. Cottonseed is pressed and extracted in oil factories to produce cottonseed oil and pulp.
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES
While many regions of the world are highly suitable for field crop production, the most significant factor limiting field crop cultivation is water scarcity or moisture deficiency. Approximately 40% of Turkey’s agricultural land consists of semiarid areas, the majority of which are located in the Central and Southeastern Anatolia regions. Irrigation, simply put, is the application of irrigation water to the soil, providing the necessary water for plant growth and development. Irrigation brings soil water to field capacity. The goal is to maintain constant moisture in the root zone throughout the plant’s growth and development periods. This allows for easier uptake of vital nutrients from the soil and their transport to above-ground organs. Except in regions where humid agriculture is practiced, irrigation is often an important supplement, or sometimes a mandatory requirement. However, abundant water does not necessarily mean abundant yield. It is necessary to provide the soil with the appropriate amount of water needed by the crop at the appropriate time. Otherwise, soil salinity and erosion can lead to the loss of arable land.
Fertilization with fertilizers is necessary to maintain soil fertility. Fertilizer is defined as a product that contains the nutrients needed by one or more plants, and the process of applying fertilizer directly to the plant or soil is called fertilization. When fertilizing field crops, it’s crucial to know which fertilizer to apply to which plant, when, how, and in what dosage. Generally, phosphorus and potash fertilizers, which promote rooting and increase drought and cold resistance in field crops, are applied once as a top dressing at planting. Nitrogen fertilizers, which accelerate growth and increase yield, are applied once as a top dressing at planting and two or three times as a top dressing after planting. Compound fertilizers are applied once as a top dressing at planting.
The standing stalks of grain remaining on the soil surface after harvesting by combine harvester are called stubble. Unfortunately, stubble is often burned in Turkey. However, in field soils with very low organic matter and highly prone to erosion, stubble should not be burned; instead, it should be plowed or shredded to reintegrate the soil. Burning stubble destroys the organic matter in the soil by burning. The organic matter in our soils, already estimated to constitute less than 1%, is being gradually destroyed by the burning of stubble, a plant residue. This reduction and destruction of organic matter makes soils less productive and more susceptible to erosion.
