Question 1

Question 1What do you understand by the term 'cereals'?

Accepted Answer

Cereals are plants that are grown for their edible grain, which is used as a food for humans and animals. Some examples of cereal grains include wheat, rice, maize, barley, etc. Cereals form the staple food for a large proportion of the population worldwide.

Question 2

Question 2Name the different methods of sowing rice.

Accepted Answer

Following are the methods of sowing rice:Broadcasting or scattering.Dibbling.Drilling.Transplantation.Japanese method of cultivation.

Question 3

Question 3Which is the best method of growing rice?

Accepted Answer

Japanese method of cultivation is the best method of growing rice as it ensures three times higher yield and less wastage of seeds.

Question 4

Question 4What kind of soil is best suited for growing rice?

Accepted Answer

Deep fertile clayey or friable loam and black lava soil are best suited for growing rice because of their high water holding capacity.

Question 5

Question 5Name the leading producer of rice in India.

Accepted Answer

West Bengal is the leading producer of rice in India.

Question 6

Question 6Name a state in India where rice is grown as a non-food crop.

Accepted Answer

Punjab is one state in India where rice is grown as a non-food crop.

Question 7

Question 7Name an area in India where rice is grown under 'Shifting Cultivation'.

Accepted Answer

Rice is grown under 'Shifting Cultivation' in North-East India.

Question 8

Question 8State the reasons for low yield of rice in India.

Accepted Answer

Reasons for low yield of rice in India are:Poor farmers can not afford high-yielding variety of rice.Pests and diseases decrease the yield of rice. Proper pests and disease management is not done by farmers.Most of the parts of India depend on monsoon rains which are highly unreliable and erratic leading to loss of crop due to drought or flood.Advanced cultivation methods are not being used by most of the farmers.

Question 9

Question 9What are the climatic conditions suitable for growing of wheat?

Accepted Answer

Climatic conditions suitable for growing of wheat are:Wheat is a temperate crop which requires cool climate with moderate rainfall.It needs an average temperature between 10°C to 15°C at the time of sowing and higher temperature between 20°C to 25°C is required at the time of ripening.Wheat needs 50 to 100 cm rainfall.

Question 10

Question 10Is wheat a rabi or kharif crop?

Accepted Answer

Wheat is a rabi crop.

Question 11

Question 11Name the leading producer of wheat in India.

Accepted Answer

Uttar Pradesh is the leading producer of wheat in India.

Question 12

Question 12Give two natural and two man-made factors that help in the cultivation of wheat.

Accepted Answer

Two natural factors that help in the cultivation of wheat are:Wheat is a temperate crop. In India, it is taken as Rabi crop. Winter temperature of North India provides most favourable conditions for wheat cultivation.The fertile friable loamy alluvial soils of clayey composition of the flat and well-drained Indo-Gangetic plains is best suited for wheat cultivation.Two man-made factors that help in the cultivation of wheat are:Supply of high yielding variety (HYV) seeds with proper use of chemical fertilizers.Excellent irrigation system provided by a close network of canals.

Question 13

Question 13Give a few important aspects of 'Green Revolution'.

Accepted Answer

A few important aspects of ‘Green Revolution’ were:Introduction of new varieties in India.Production of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice in India.Use of artificial fertilizers and irrigation facilities lead to increase in yield.Use of pesticides and herbicides lead to increased yield by stopping wastage of crop and soil nutrition.

Question 14

Question 14In which season is wheat sown and why?

Accepted Answer

Wheat is sown in rabi season because it is a temperate crop which needs not more than 10°C to 15°C temperature at the time of sowing.

Question 15

Question 15Is maize a rabi or kharif crop? Name three leading producers of maize.

Accepted Answer

Maize is primarily a kharif crop but in some states like Tamil Nadu, it is grown as rabi crop. Three leading producers of maize are Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Question 16

Question 16Why are the millets called the dry crops?

Accepted Answer

Millets are hardy, drought and heat resistant plants and therefore mostly cultivated in the drier parts of the monsoon lands. Hence, they are called the dry crops.

Question 17

Question 17Why are millets so widely grown?

Accepted Answer

Millets are widely grown because they are hardy, drought and heat resistant plants that can be easily grown in areas of less rainfall. They can be grown in plains and on uplands up to 1200 meter in height. Millets do not have any special requirement as far as soil is concerned.

Question 18

Question 18Give two new uses of maize.

Accepted Answer

Two new uses of maize are:It is used in confectionery as corn-flour and cereal as corn-flakes.It is used in production of bio-fuel.

Question 19

Question 19What is the common feature of all millets?

Accepted Answer

All millets are kharif crops grown in warm weather. They are hardy, drought and heat resistant and can be grown in areas with less rainfall. They can grow in any kind of soil.

Question 20

Question 20Name the most important rotation crop. In what way does it help the soil?

Accepted Answer

Pulses are the most important rotation crop because they are leguminous plants with root-nodules, which can fix and utilize atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. It makes the soil rich in nitrogen and provides enough nitrogen to the next crop sown.

Agriculture in India — II : Food Crops