Question 1

Question 1Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.

Accepted Answer

Inter-cropping is one of the methods of crop production that ensures high yield. It is the method of growing two or more varieties of crops on the same land in a definite pattern. These crops are so selected that they have different nutrient requirements at different times. It ensures least competition among crops. It ensures high yield as it provides extra harvest over sole crop.

Question 2

Question 2Why are manure and fertilizers used in fields?

Accepted Answer

Manure and fertilizers are used in fields in order to increase fertility of soil. They provide nutrition to standing crops for their proper growth.

Question 3

Question 3What are the advantages of inter-cropping and crop rotation?

Accepted Answer

Advantages of inter-cropping:Crops give better return.Spread of insect-pest is less.Weed infestation is less.Maintain soil health.Reduced need of fertilizers.Advantages of crop rotation:Prevents soil nutrition loss or replenishes nutrition.Maintains soil texture.Prevents infestation of weeds, insects and pests.Gives better return.

Question 4

Question 4What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?

Accepted Answer

Genetic manipulation is a process in which genes of desirable characters are transferred from a plant to another plant by the technique of hybridisation. Genetic manipulation helps in obtaining desirable agronomic characters liked dwarfness in cereals, tallness and profuse branching in fodder crops. It is useful in developing varieties with higher yield, good quality, biotic and abiotic resistance, short maturity period, wider adoptability and other desirable agronomic characteristics.

Question 5

Question 5How do storage grain losses occur?

Accepted Answer

During the storage of grains both biotic and abiotic factors cause losses to the grain. Biotic factors such as insects, rodents, mites, fungi etc. and various abiotic factors such as moisture, temperature, lack of sunlight, etc. are responsible for losses of grains. These factors cause loss in weight, degradation in quality and poor germination rate.

Question 6

Question 6How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?

Accepted Answer

Rearing of animals and following good animal husbandry practices provide farmer with:Ample of milk, meat, manure (decomposition of dung)Fuel in the form of dung cakes.It also adds to farmers income as he can sell animal products like milk.Farmer can also improve his cattle breeds by selective breeding.

Question 7

Question 7What are the benefits of cattle farming?

Accepted Answer

Following are the benefits of cattle farming:Milch animals provide us milk.Draught animals are used as labour in farm.Their dung is used as fuel in villages.Their dung is used for making manure.

Question 8

Question 8For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping?

Accepted Answer

For increasing production, common practices in poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping are:Quality species should be selected.Provide quality food, pasturage in case of bees.Proper disease management.Cross breeding should be done.Hygenic shelter condition.

Question 9

Question 9How do you differentiate between capture fishing, mariculture and aquaculture?

Accepted Answer

Capture fishingMaricultureAquacultureCatching fishes from natural resources.Culture of marine fishes.Culture of all economically important aquatic animals such as prawns, lobsters, fishes, crabs, etc.Fish grows naturally, seeding is not done.Seeding is done in sea.Rearing is done manually.

Question 10

Question 1What do we get from cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables?

Accepted Answer

Cereals — CarbohydratesPulses — ProteinsFruits and vegetables — vitamins and minerals in addition to small amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Question 11

Question 1How are fish obtained?

Accepted Answer

There are two ways of obtaining fish. One is from natural resources, which is called capture fishing. The other way is by fish farming, which is called culture fishery.

Question 12

Question 2What are the advantages of composite fish culture?

Accepted Answer

In a composite fish culture, five or six local and imported fish species are cultured together in a single fish pond. Fishes with different food habitats are chosen so that they do not compete for food among themselves. This ensures a complete utilization of food resources in the pond and thus total yield increases.

Question 13

Question 1What are the desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production?

Accepted Answer

The desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production are:High honey collection capacityLess stingStay in a given beehive for long periodsBreed well

Question 14

Question 2What is pasturage and how is it related to honey production?

Accepted Answer

Pasturage or bee forage are crops that yield pollen and nectar for bees. They are grown within flight range of the bees. The quality, taste and yield of honey depends upon the type and quantity of pasturage available to the bees for nectar and pollen collection.

Question 15

Question 1How do biotic and abiotic factors affect crop production?

Accepted Answer

The crop production depends upon many biotic and abiotic factors that affect the plant growth and productivity.Biotic factors — Some of the biotic factors are type of variety, insects and pests, diseases caused by plant pathogens etc. Varieties are designed to increase yield, increase disease resistance and wider adaptability. Insects, pests and diseases are responsible for harming crops and decrease productivity.Abiotic factors — Abiotic factors like drought, salinity, water logging, heat, cold and frost, humidity, wind, sunshine (photoperiod) affect the crop production. Every crop requires a fix set of abiotic condition required for its optimum production. Any deviation in any of the factor can lead to decrease in production. For instance, increase in temperature during flowering may decrease the pollination and grain formation in wheat.

Question 16

Question 2What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvements?

Accepted Answer

The desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvements are different for different crops. Some of them are:Tallness and profuse branching are desirable characters for fodder crops.Dwarfness is desired in cereals, so that less nutrients are consumed by these crops and also to avoid crop lodging.High sugar content in sugarcanes and sugarbeets.Long awns and broader leaves to increase photosynthesis in wheat.Increased number of tillers in paddy.

Question 17

Question 1What are macro-nutrients and why are they called macronutrients?

Accepted Answer

The nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur that are required by the crop in large quantity are called macro-nutrients. They are called so because they are consumed in large amount by the crops.

Question 18

Question 2How do plants get nutrients?

Accepted Answer

Plants get nutrients from soil, air and water. Air supplies carbon and oxygen, hydrogen comes from water, and soil supplies the other thirteen nutrients to plants. These nutrients are absorbed by the plants through their roots along with water.

Question 19

Question 1Compare the use of manure and fertilizers in maintaining soil fertility.

Accepted Answer

ManureFertilizersConsists of large quantity of organic matter.Consists of compounds containing nutrient and no organic matter.Supplies small quantities of nutrients to the soil.Supplies large quantity of nutrient to the soil.Prepared by the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste; some times green plants.Commercially produced plant nutrients.The bulk of organic matter in manure helps in improving the soil structure, water holding capacity and fertility.It can hamper soil structure and fertility if not used in optimum amount.They do not affect pH of soil.They can make the soil acidic or alkaline.They do not cause pollution.They cause air pollution during their manufacture and water pollution when used excessively in fields.Examples: Compost, Green manureExample: Urea, SSP

Question 20

Question 1Which of the following conditions will give the most benefits? Why?(a) Farmers use high-quality seeds, do not adopt irrigation or use fertilizers.(b) Farmers use ordinary seeds, adopt irrigation and use fertilizer.(c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertilizer and use crop protection measures.

Accepted Answer

(c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertilizer and use crop protection measures.The above conditions will give the most benefits because it will fullfil all the requirements of plant for high yield. Quality seeds alone cannot give good yield if not provided with irrigation and fertilizers. Also, crop protection measures protect the crop from the damage due to diseases, competition of weeds and insect-pests and thus prevent loss of yield.

Improvement in Food Resources

Exercises

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