Question 1

Question 1(d)Give three points of difference between upland and lowland rice.

Accepted Answer

Upland riceLowland riceIt is grown on mountainous regions.It is grown in low-lying areas.It is sown in March-April and harvested in September-October.It is sown in June and harvested in October.The entire crop is used locally.The produce of rice is used for local consumption as well as supplied to other regions.

Question 2

Question 2(a)Why are cereals referred to as 'staff of life'?

Accepted Answer

Cereals are referred to as 'staff of life' because of their simple form of cultivation and their high nutritional value. They have formed the basic diet of mankind.

Question 3

Question 2(b)State two geographical conditions suitable for the cultivation of rice?

Accepted Answer

Two geographical conditions suitable for the cultivation of rice are-Rice grows best in warm and humid areas. The critical mean temperature for flowering and fertilisation ranges from 16°C to 20°C whereas during ripening, the range is from 18°C to 32°C.Rice requires good rainfall in the range of 150 to 300 cm.

Question 4

Question 2(c)Give a geographical reason for each of the following:(i) Wheat cultivation is confined to the northern parts of the country.(ii) Punjab is the leading producer of wheat in India.(iii) Government of India is encouraging cultivation of pulses.

Accepted Answer

(i) Wheat cultivation is confined to the northern parts of the country because it grows best in cool, moist climate and ripens in warm, dry climate. Also, the winter rain occurring in northern India is beneficial for the crop.(ii) Punjab is the leading producer of wheat in India because the climate of Punjab is well suited for the cultivation of wheat. During winters, the temperature of the region remains between 10°C to 25°C. Punjab also receives light showers during the winter months from the western disturbances. Such a climate is suited for wheat cultivation.(iii) Government of India is encouraging cultivation of pulses because pulses being leguminous crops, fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and increase the natural fertility of soil. Also, pulses form an important part of the Indian diet, especially for those who consume starchy vegetation.

Question 5

Question 2(d)(i) Name the state that produces the highest quantity of rice in India.(ii) State two advantages of growing rice on lowlands.

Accepted Answer

(i) West Bengal produces the highest quantity of rice in India.(ii) Two advantages of growing rice on lowlands are-It is easy to irrigate rice crop and water can be easily accumulated on low lands.Soil in the lowlands is more fertile as compared to uplands.

Question 6

Question 3(b)State two geographical conditions necessary for the growth of wheat in India.

Accepted Answer

Two geographical conditions necessary for the growth of wheat in India are-For the cultivation of wheat, temperature in the range of 10-15°C is suitable for sowing and 20-25°C during harvest.About 80 cm of annual rainfall is ideal for wheat cultivation.

Question 7

Question 3(c)(i) Name two states that grow wheat extensively.(ii) What climatic features have helped these states in this respect?

Accepted Answer

(i) Punjab and Uttar Pradesh grow wheat extensively.(ii) Climatic features that have helped these states in this respect are-Cool and moist climate for sowing and warm, dry climate for ripening. Ideal temperature ranges from 10-15°C at the time of sowing and 20-25°C during harvesting.Annual rainfall of about 80 cm. Winter rain caused due to western disturbances are beneficial for the crop.

Question 8

Question 3(d)Give three differences between the climatic conditions needed for wheat and rice cultivation.

Accepted Answer

Climatic ConditionsWheatRiceTemperature during sowing10 to 15°C16-20°CTemperature during ripening/harvest20-25°C18-32°CRainfallAbout 80 cmAbout 150 - 300 cm

Question 9

Question 4(a)What is meant by "transplantation"? State two of its advantages.

Accepted Answer

Transplantation is a method of rice cultivation common in deltaic and flood plain regions. The seedlings are first grown in nurseries and after four to five weeks when saplings attain 25-30 cm of height, they are transplanted into prepared rice fields in groups of four to six at a distance of 30-45 cm. In the beginning, the field is flooded with a 2-3 cm deep water. Subsequently, the depth of water level is increased to 4-6 cm till the crop matures.Two advantages of transplantation method are-Only the healthy plants are picked for resowing in the field and unhealthy plants are discarded.Weeds are removed while resowing.

Question 10

Question 4(b)How does the cultivation of pulses usually help in restoration of fertility of the soil?

Accepted Answer

Pulses being leguminous crops, fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and increase the natural fertility of soil. Hence, pulses are usually rotated with other crops to maintain or restore soil fertility.

Question 11

Question 4(c)(i) Why are pulses grown as rotational crops?(ii) Explain why India is the largest consumer of pulses.

Accepted Answer

(i) Pulses are grown as rotational crops as pulses being leguminous crops, fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and increase the natural fertility of soil.(ii) India is the largest consumer of pulses because pulses form a very important part of the Indian diet, especially for those who consume starchy vegetarian diet. This is because pulses provide vegetable protein.

Question 12

Question 4(d)State three methods of growing rice.

Accepted Answer

Three methods of growing rice are-The dry method of cultivationThe puddled or wet methodTransplanting method

Question 13

Question 5(a)What are millets?

Accepted Answer

The term 'millets' refers to a number of inferior grains like jowar, bajra and ragi, which serve as food grains for the poorer sections of the society.

Question 14

Question 5(b)Why are millets referred to as 'food grains of the poor'?

Accepted Answer

Millets are known as 'food grains of the poor' because these are coarse grains. Further, these do not require adequate water and can be grown in infertile soil owing to its rocky or sandy character.

Question 15

Question 5(c)Why are millets known as dry crops?

Accepted Answer

Millets are known as dry crops because they have a very short growing season and they can be grown under dry and high temperature conditions. Also, millets do not need rain or water and can survive in drought and other extreme conditions.

Question 16

Question 5(d)In what way are the millets different from rice?

Accepted Answer

Rice requires high temperature with adequate water for irrigation while millets can be grown on infertile soil and does not require much water for growth.Millets have a higher nutritional value than rice.

Question 17

Question 6(a)In which region is ragi grown in India? Why?

Accepted Answer

Karnataka is the leading producer of ragi in the country followed by Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat.Ragi is grown in these states as the red, light black and sandy loams in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the well drained alluvial loams of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Gujarat are suitable for the cultivation of ragi. Also, the climatic conditions favour the cultivation of this crop.

Question 18

Question 6(b)In which part of the year is wheat grown in India? Why?

Accepted Answer

Wheat is a rabi crop and mostly grown during the cold weather season. It is usually sown in October and continues till the mid of November. It is harvested by the end of January in the south, and by March-April in the north.It is so because wheat grows best in cool moist climate and ripens in warm, dry climate.

Question 19

Question 6(c)Why is wheat not grown in the eastern and in the extreme southern parts of India? Name the state that is the largest producer of wheat.

Accepted Answer

Wheat is not grown in the eastern and in the extreme southern parts of India because the temperature required at the time of sowing wheat is 10-15°C which is not possible in these regions.Also, wheat grows best in well drained loams and clay loam whereas the southern and eastern India have laterite and red soil.Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of wheat in India.

Question 20

Question 6(d)In the year 2023-24 the government has imposed restrictions on rice exports, according to news reports. As a student of geography give reasons to support government's decision. [Hint: low rainfall in August 2023]

Accepted Answer

The government imposed restrictions on rice exports in 2023-24 due to the following geographical reasons:Low Rainfall in August 2023 – A weak monsoon affected rice production, especially in major rice-growing regions, reducing overall yield.Uncertain Climate Conditions – Fluctuations in monsoon patterns raised concerns about future crop yields, making it necessary to secure available rice stocks.These measures were taken to safeguard food availability in India.

Agriculture — II: Food Crops

Answer The Following Questions

Choose The Correct Option

Thinking Skills