Question 1

Question 1(d)What is Ratooning? State two advantages of Ratooning.

Accepted Answer

Ratooning is a method of cultivation of sugarcane. In this method, during the first harvest, the sugarcane is cut leaving a little bit of the stalk in the soil with the roots. The stalk soon puts out new shoots or ratoons. The second or any other successive crop obtained from the roots of the leftover crop is called ratoon.Two advantages of ratooning are-Crop need not be planted again, it saves labour.The ratoon matures early.

Question 2

Question 2(a)How does heavy rainfall affect the quality of sugarcane?

Accepted Answer

Heavy rainfall affects the quality of sugarcane adversely as the sucrose content decreases if heavy rains continue for long.

Question 3

Question 2(b)Why does the cultivation of sugarcane require cheap labour?

Accepted Answer

The cultivation of sugarcane requires plenty of cheap labour as most of the work is done by hand. The crop is cut by hand using a long curved knife.

Question 4

Question 2(d)State any three problems faced by sugarcane cultivators.

Accepted Answer

Three problems faced by sugarcane cultivators are-Sugarcane is a soil exhausting crop and therefore, the cost of fertilizers increases the cost of production.It requires high input of irrigation means.The cost of transport increases the cost of production.

Question 5

Question 3(a)What extra care needs to be taken for soil health when sugarcane is cultivated?

Accepted Answer

Extra care needs to be taken for soil health when sugarcane is cultivated because sugarcane exhausts the fertility of the soil. Hence, the soil is supplemented with manures and nitrogenous fertilizers.

Question 6

Question 3(b)Mention the climate that is suitable for sugarcane cultivation.

Accepted Answer

The climate that is suitable for sugarcane cultivation is as follows-Temperature — Sugarcane grows best in areas with 20°C to 26°C temperature. Frost is fatal for the crop. Short cool dry winter season during ripening and harvesting is ideal.Rainfall — Sugarcane grows well in tropical regions with 100-150 cm of rainfall well distributed throughout the year. Irrigation is necessary in areas with lower rainfall or even in areas of higher rainfall during the long dry spells.

Question 7

Question 3(d)Mention two different ways in which sugarcane is propagated.

Accepted Answer

Two different ways in which sugarcane is propagated are-Sett methodRatooning

Question 8

Question 4(a)What conditions of temperature and rainfall favour the growth of groundnut?

Accepted Answer

The climatic conditions that favour the growth of groundnut are-Temperature — Groundnut requires about 20°C to 25°C temperature. Dry weather is needed during the time of ripening.Rainfall — It requires light to moderate rainfall between 50 to 100 cm. Rainfall should be well distributed.

Question 9

Question 4(b)Which two states in India are the leading producers of groundnut? Why is groundnut mostly grown in Peninsular India?

Accepted Answer

Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in India are the leading producers of groundnut.Groundnut is mostly grown in Peninsular India because the red, yellow and black cotton soils of Peninsular India suit it well. Such light soils are essential as the nut ripens in the soil.

Question 10

Question 4(c)Give three uses of groundnut.

Accepted Answer

Three uses of groundnut are-It is used for the manufacture of hydrogenated oil.It is used for making margarine, medical emulsions and soap.Groundnut oil is used as a cooking medium and the nuts are eaten raw, roasted, salted or sweetened.

Question 11

Question 4(d)What is the residue after crushing oilseeds called? Give two of its uses.

Accepted Answer

The residue after crushing oilseeds is called oilcake.Oilcake is used as a fodder for animals and also serves a good manure in the fields.

Question 12

Question 5(a)Name any two oilseeds grown in India. Which oilseed is grown as a rainfed crop?

Accepted Answer

Two oilseeds grown in India are groundnut and linseed.Groundnut is grown as a rainfed crop.

Question 13

Question 5(b)State the conditions of temperature and rainfall necessary for the growth of mustard.

Accepted Answer

The climatic conditions necessary for the growth of mustard are-Temperature — Mustard grows best in cool climate. Ideal temperature ranges from 10°C to 20°C.Rainfall — The crop requires rainfall varying between 25 to 40 cm.

Question 14

Question 5(c)(i) Which soil type favours the growth of mustard? Name an area where it grows.(ii) Mention two uses of mustard.

Accepted Answer

(i) Mustard can be grown on loams but slightly heavier soils are preferred.Mustard is widely grown in the Sutlej-Ganga plain.(ii) Two uses of mustard are-Its seeds are crushed for edible oil.The oilcake of mustard is an important cattle feed.

Question 15

Question 5(d)Mention the climatic conditions necessary to grow soya bean. State two uses of soya bean.

Accepted Answer

The climatic conditions necessary to grow soya bean are-Temperature — Soyabean requires temperature in the range of 13°C to 24°C. Temperature above 13°C is necessary for the normal growth of soyabean.Rainfall — It grows in regions with 40 cm to 60 cm rainfall. The rainfall should be well distributed throughout the growing season.Two uses of Soyabean are-It is eaten as vegetable or made into soya sauce.Due to its high protein content, it is consumed as soya milk or tofu (cheese) as a substitute for animal protein.

Question 16

Question 6(a)The floods in Maharashtra in August-September 2019 submerged sugarcane fields for over 20 days. How did this affect farmers?

Accepted Answer

The floods in Maharashtra in August–September 2019 had a severe impact on sugarcane farmers.Crop Destruction: Sugarcane fields submerged for over 20 days led to waterlogging, which caused rotting of roots and crop damage, especially since sugarcane cannot withstand prolonged standing water.Loss of Income: Sugarcane is a high-investment, long-duration crop (typically 10-12 months). Its destruction meant that farmers lost both their money and time invested over many months.Delayed Harvest and Processing Issues: Flooded fields delayed harvest and reduced sucrose content, affecting both yield quality and recovery rate during sugar processing.Soil Health Deterioration: Prolonged flooding led to soil nutrient loss and soil compaction, affecting future crops too.Debt Burden: Many farmers took loans for fertilizers, irrigation, and labour. Crop loss increased their financial distress and indebtedness.

Question 17

Question 6(b)Savinder, a farmer in Punjab, has asked you, a student of geography, to advise him on ratooning. What would you say?

Accepted Answer

In the method of Ratooning, during the first harvest, sugarcane is cut leaving a little bit of the stalk in the soil with roots. The stalk soon puts out new shoots or ratoons. The second or any other successive crop obtained from the roots of the leftover crop is called Ratoon. Sugarcane is a perennial crop and, in theory, the same plants could continue to produce canes for many years. However, the yield from each successive ratoon crop is lesser than the previous one. After two or three ratoons, the old roots are no longer economical and new setts must be planted.

Question 18

Question 6(c)Give a geographical reason for each of the following:(i)	Frost is fatal for the sugarcane crop.(ii) A 40-45 cm distance between two saplings of sugarcane is maintained.(iii) The Sutlej-Ganga plains are the traditional growers of sugarcane.

Accepted Answer

(i) Frost is fatal for the sugarcane crop. This is because Sugarcane is a tropical crop. It grows well in warm climate, and being exposed to excessive cold temperatures or frost can lead to degradation in its sucrose content.(ii) A 40-45 cm distance between two saplings of sugarcane is maintained to facilitate hoeing, weeding, irrigation and harvesting.(iii) This is because of the fertile alluvium which is renewed every year by numerous mountain streams flowing in this area, sufficiently high temperatures and rainfall, and availability of high water level enabling easy irrigation.

Question 19

Question 6(d)(i) Give two reasons why sugarcane is harvested before winter sets in.(ii) Why are the sugarcane stocks cut as close to the ground as possible?

Accepted Answer

(i) Sugarcane is harvested before winter to avoid frost damage and ensure optimal sugar content, as frost can significantly reduce both yield and sugar recovery(ii) The stalks must be cut as near as possible to the ground because the greatest accumulation of sucrose is in the base of the stem.

Question 20

Question 7Assertion (A): Sugarcane exhausts the fertility of the soil.Reason (R): Sugarcane is a perennial crop.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.A is true but R is false.A is false but R is true.

Accepted Answer

Both A and R are true but R does not explain A.Explanation — Sugarcane exhausts the fertility of the soil because of its high nutrient demand, not because its a perennial crop. Hence, Reason (R) does not correctly explain Assertion (A).

Agriculture — III: Cash Crops (1)

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