Question 1

Question 1(c)(i) Name the two chief cotton-growing areas in India.(ii) Which climatic conditions favour the cultivation of cotton?

Accepted Answer

(i) Two chief cotton-growing areas in India are-The north western Deccan on the fertile Black cotton soilThe central and southern Deccan of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu(ii) The climatic conditions that favour the cultivation of cotton are:Temperature — Cotton requires uniformly high temperatures between 21°C and 30°C. A long growing period of at least 200 frost-free days is required for the plant to mature.Rainfall — Rainfall should be moderate, ranging between 50 to 75 cm. Sufficient rainfall is required during the early stages of the growth, but a sunny and dry weather is required after flowering.

Question 2

Question 1(d)(i) How is frost harmful for the growth of cotton plant? Why is dry weather necessary at the time of harvesting cotton?(ii) Why is the net sown area of the cotton crop declining?

Accepted Answer

(i) The cotton plant is extremely sensitive to frost and late spring or early autumn frosts can kill the plant and destroy the crop. The soil temperature below 20°C reduces root growth thus retarding plant growth.Dry weather is necessary at the time of harvesting cotton as rainfall during boll-opening and harvesting periods is harmful for the plants as it makes them vulnerable to pests and diseases.(ii) The net sown area of cotton is declining due to low global demand, frequent pest attacks, low yields, and poor returns. Erratic rainfall due to climate change also affects cotton growth. As a result, many farmers are shifting to other crops like pulses and maize, which are more profitable and less risky.

Question 3

Question 2(a)What advantages does Long Staple Cotton have?

Accepted Answer

The advantages of Long Staple Cotton is that the longer the cotton fiber, the stronger, softer, and more durable the resulting fabric. Long staple cotton is long, fine and shiny. It is used for making fine and superior quality cloth.Fabrics made of long-staple cottons fray less, pill less, wrinkle less, and even fade less than fabrics made with their short-staple counterparts.

Question 4

Question 2(b)Why Gujarat and Maharashtra are the leading producers of Cotton?

Accepted Answer

Gujarat and Maharashtra are the leading producers of Cotton because the moist climate of both the states is well suited for cotton cultivation and the temperature is ideal for the cotton industries as the cotton threads tend to break in dry climate while they rarely break in moist and humid climate.

Question 5

Question 2(c)Given on the right is a sketch of the processes involved in ginning. Describe them in your own words.

Accepted Answer

The stages in Ginning of Cotton are-The cotton first goes through the dryers to reduce moisture content.Then, it goes through the cleaning equipment to remove foreign matter.The cotton is then air conveyed to gin stands where its circular saws pull the lint through closely spaced ribs that prevent the seed from passing through.The lint is removed from the saw teeth by rotating brushes and then compressed into bales.

Question 6

Question 2(d)Akola is known as the 'Cotton City of India' due to its high cotton production. Shyamlal a cotton farmer from the district does not want his son to follow his vocation. Instead he wants his son to find employment in Pune. What are the problems associated with the growing of cotton that is influencing Shyamlal?

Accepted Answer

Shyamlal's reluctance for his son to continue in cotton farming in Akola and find employment in Pune stems from several significant challenges associated with cotton cultivation, such as:Declining global demand for cottonLack of financial facilityShortage of labourInadequate water supplySeverity of diseasesLack of technologyHigh cost of inputsLow quality of fertilizers and pesticidesPoor quality of seeds

Question 7

Question 3(a)State the soil conditions that favour the growth of jute.

Accepted Answer

Jute grows best on the soil enriched by new alluvium brought by river inundation. Loamy soils are most suitable for jute production as the clay particles of loam help to hold the plant nutrients preventing them from getting washed away by water.The clayey soil gives the heaviest yield. Sandy soils produce coarse fibres.

Question 8

Question 3(b)In what way is Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta suitable for jute cultivation?

Accepted Answer

Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta has loamy soil which is most suitable for jute production as the clay particles of loam help to hold the plant nutrients preventing them from getting washed away by water.

Question 9

Question 3(c)(i) Why is jute retted?(ii) How is this done?

Accepted Answer

(i) Jute is retted because retting softens the outer bark and facilitates the early removal of the fibre within.(ii) Retting was once done by submerging the jute into ponds and streams but is now done in special tanks. Chemical additives help in the retting operation.

Question 10

Question 3(d)Describe briefly the processing of jute.

Accepted Answer

Jute is harvested by hand, by pulling up the stem. It is dried and striped of unwanted leaves and is put in water and allowed to rot. This process is known as retting.Retting was once done by submerging the jute into ponds and streams but is now done in special tanks. Chemical additives help in the retting operation.The fleshy part of the stem is eventually decomposed and the fibres are then scraped to remove any remaining pieces of soft vegetable matter. After drying, the fibres are loosely spun and woven, and are used in making sacks and bags, carpet, upholstery, etc.

Question 11

Question 4(b)By what other name is jute referred to? Why?

Accepted Answer

Jute is also called 'Golden fibre' as it provides huge revenue to the government.

Question 12

Question 4(c)(i) Why are floods beneficial for the growth of jute?(ii) Mention one advantage and one disadvantage of delay in jute harvest.

Accepted Answer

(i) Floods are beneficial for the growth of jute because plenty of water is needed for the process of retting and a new soil cover is available.(ii) One advantage of delay in jute harvest is that it adds to the yield and one disadvantage of delay in jute harvest is that it usually produces coarse fibre.

Question 13

Question 4(d)State any three uses of jute.

Accepted Answer

Three uses of jute are-It is used for manufacturing rough quality cloth, sacks and other packaging material.It is used for making many utility products like carpets, rugs, etc.It provides a huge revenue to the government.

Question 14

Question 5(a)State any two conditions that favour the growth of tea in the Nilgiris.

Accepted Answer

Two conditions that favour the growth of tea in the Nilgiris are-The slopes protect the crop from annual inundations and stagnant water during the rains.The high altitude provides the required climatic conditions- temperature ranging from 24°C to 30°C and annual rainfall of atleast 150 cm, well distributed throughout the year.

Question 15

Question 5(b)State the advantages of growing tea plants on hill slopes.

Accepted Answer

Tea plantations require even distribution of water without any water logging. Hill slopes provide proper drainage and prevents water logging problems. This is the reason why tea plantations are usually grown on hill slopes.

Question 16

Question 5(c)(i) Name the different varieties of tea grown in India.(ii) Why is blending necessary for tea?

Accepted Answer

(i) The different varieties of tea grown in India are-Black teaGreen teaOolong teaBrick tea(ii) Blending is necessary for tea to give it a special aroma and make many proprietary brands.

Question 17

Question 5(d)(i) Name the leading producer of tea in India. State two factors that have helped it to become the leading state in tea production.(ii) Define the following terms:Clonal PlantingPruning

Accepted Answer

(i) Assam is the leading producer of tea in India.Two factors that have helped Assam to become the leading state in tea production are-No stagnant water due to hilly terrainAvailability of cheap labour(ii) The definitions of Clonal Planting & Pruning are given below:Clonal Planting — Tea shrubs can be grown in nurseries from cuttings of high yielding varieties. This is known as clonal planting.Pruning — Pruning means plucking of tea leaves. Frequent pruning encourages the rapid production of fresh leaves and shoots. Pruning of tea bush starts after two years in order to maintain the height and diameter of the plant limited to one metre.

Question 18

Question 6(a)Give two climatic factors that favour the cultivation of coffee.

Accepted Answer

Two climatic factors that favour the cultivation of coffee are-Temperature — Coffee plant requires warm climate with temperature ranging from 15°C to 28°C and a moderate supply of moisture.Rainfall — During the period of growth, the plant requires 150 - 200 cm of annual rainfall.

Question 19

Question 6(b)Name the three varieties of coffee plants grown on commercial scale in India. Name one state where coffee is grown extensively.

Accepted Answer

The three varieties of coffee plants grown on commercial scale in India are-Coffee RobustaCoffee LibericaCoffee ArabicaCoffee is grown extensively in Karnataka.

Question 20

Question 6(c)Give a geographical reason for each of the following:(i) Coffee is grown on the slopes of the hills in Peninsular India.(ii) Coffee estates have coffee inter-planted with orange trees, cardamom and pepper vines.(iii) Tea bushes are pruned at regular intervals.

Accepted Answer

(i) Coffee is grown on the slopes of the hills in Peninsular India to avoid water logging and to supply even water to the plants. Soils are also fertile in this area with sufficient amount of rainfall of about 150 cm on average, necessary for the growth of coffee plantations.(ii) Coffee plant is susceptible to direct sunrays. So, Coffee estates have coffee inter-planted with orange trees, cardamom and pepper vines to provide shade to the coffee plant and at the same time generate extra income for the farmers.(iii) Tea bushes are pruned at regular interval to maintain the height and diameter of the plant limited to one metre. Frequent pruning encourages the rapid production of fresh leaves and shoots.

Agriculture — IV: Cash Crops (2)

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