Improvement in Food Resources

Introduction

      Man is an omnivore. He depends on both plants and animals for food. We know that crops are a

major source of food.

Livestock

 

     Livestock refers to all domestic animals that are used to produce food and other valuable products

for man. It includes cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and pigs. Livestock may be milk producing or meat

providing.

Buffaloes

      Buffaloes are reared in large numbers in India. There are more than ten different breeds of

buffaloes in India.

Milch Animal Management

      Most zebu cattle (domesticated cattle, Bos indicus) are resistant to Rinderpest. This disease has

been controlled through a National Vaccination Programme.

Milch Animal Management - Continued

      Indigenous dairy breeds produce 6-8 litres of milk a day where as foreign exotic breeds produce

60 litres of milk a day.

Meat Producing Livestock

      Besides cows, the goat, sheep and pig also provide meat. Goat meat is more popular than meat

of sheep and pig.

Poultry

      Poultry includes all domestic birds - chicken, ducks, geese and turkey. They are reared for their

meat and eggs.

Fish Farming

      Fish is a source of high quality animal protein and a rich source of minerals like calcium,

phosphorus and iron. India abounds in fish, both fresh water and marine.

Human Dependence on Plants and Animals for Food

 

     Animals are heterotrophs i.e. they are incapable of synthesizing their own food. They depend on

plants and other animals for food. Man also being a heterotroph, gets his food from plants as well as

animals.

Crop Production

      Plant responses to soil conditions and atmospheric environment must be exploited to the

maximum to produce a high yield per unit area of land.

Nutrients

 

     The nutrients required by plants for their healthy growth are 16 in number. They are carbon,

hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, iron,

manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chlorine.

Fertilizers

      Constant use of the soil leads to the loss of its important nutrients particularly nitrogen,

phosphorus and potassium and thus the soil loses its fertility.

Chemical Fertilizers

      Chemical fertilizers contain a higher amount of nutrients as against manures and so are used in

very small quantities.

Water

      India has 12 major river basins and 8 composite river basins that form the surface water resource.

Besides, the ground water also adds to the total water resource.

Protection of Crops

      Certain preventive measures can be adopted to protect crops from weeds, insects, mites, rodents

and fungi.

Scientific Storage of Grains

      Besides crop production, good crop management involves storage of grains before distribution.

During storage, grains and seeds are subjected to spoilage by various agencies.

Sustainable Agriculture

      Sustainability means keeping an effort going continuously, or the ability to last out and keep from

falling.

Mixed Farming

      While modern day farmers specialize in one agricultural sector, either dairy or growing potatoes,

their predecessors kept a wide array of farm animals and planted many different kinds of field crops.

Mixed Cropping

       Mixed cropping is growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land.

Crop Rotation

      The growing of different kinds of crops on a piece of land in a preplanned succession is known as

crop rotation.

Varietal Improvement

      There are several varieties of rice available in the market. Similarly, there are many varieties of

mangoes and brinjals. Each variety is unique in its colour, size, shape and taste.

Plant Breeding

      Crop production can be improved by breeding new varieties of crops having higher yield. The

main aim of plant breeding is to produce new crops superior to the existing ones.

Question (1): 'Operation flood' is related to:

1. Flood and disaster management

2. White revolution (Milk production)

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3. Green revolution

4. Brown revolution

Ans: 2

Question (2): A breed of cow

that was not used for cross

breeding in our country was

1. Jersey

2. Holtstein-Friesian

3. Brown Swiss

4. Sahiwal

Ans: 4

Question (3): The breed that is

not a buffalo is

1. Murrah

2. Mehsana

3. Red Sindhi

4. Surti

Ans: 3

Question (4): The disease that

is caused by a virus is

1. amoebiosis

2. anthrax

3. rabies

4. ringworm

Ans: 3

Question (5): The disease that

is not caused by fungus is

1. aspergillosis

2. cow pox

3. ringworm

4. actinomycosis

Ans: 2

Question (6): An exotic breed

of poultry is

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Improvement in Food Resources

Introduction

Livestock

Buffaloes

Milch Animal Management

Milch Animal Management -

Continued

Meat Producing Livestock

Poultry

Fish Farming

Human Dependence on Plants and

Animals for Food

Crop Production

Nutrients

1. Peela

2. White leghorn

3. Kajal

4. Nurie

Ans: 2

Question (7): The fastest

growing carp is

1. Catla

2. Rohu

3. Mrigal

4. Silver carp

Ans: 1

Question (8): An exotic breed

of goat is

1. Sannen

2. Decanny

3. Bengal

4. Jamunapari

Ans: 1

Question (9): The disease (in

goats) not caused by viruses is

1. black-quarter

2. sore mouth

3. rinderpest

4. goat pox

Ans: 1

Question (10): A common

disease of cattle is

1. cow pox

2. goat pox

3. IPN

4. VHS

Ans: 1

Question (11): Murrah, Surti

Fertilizers

Chemical Fertilizers

Water

Protection of Crops

Scientific Storage of Grains

Sustainable Agriculture

Mixed Farming

Mixed Cropping

Crop Rotation

Varietal Improvement

Plant Breeding

Question and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

and Mehsana are different

breeds of

1. cows

2. buffaloes

3. goats

4. sheep

Ans: 2

Question (12): Developing

embryo from a superior breed is

transferred into the uterus of a

female with inferior

characteristics by the process

of

1. hybridization

2. artificial insemination

3. embryo transfer

4. random mating

Ans: 3

Question (13): Inland fisheries

refers to

1. culturing fish in freshwater

2. trapping and capturing fishes from sea coast

3. deep sea fisheries

4. extraction of oil from fishes

Ans: 1

Question (14): Rinderpest

disease of poultry is caused by

1. insects

2. bacteria

3. virus

4. protozoa

Ans: 3

Question (15): The Jersey bull

used for cross breeding is an

exotic variety from

1. England

2. Scotland

3. Switzerland

4. Holland

Ans: 1

Question (16): An exotic breed

of poultry bird having high egg

laying capacity is

1. White Leghorn

2. Broilers

3. White Cornish

4. New Hampshire

Ans: 1

Question (17): The fungal

disease causing maximum

death of a poultry bird is

1. coryza

2. pullorium

3. rickets

4. asperigillosis

Ans: 4

Question (18): The method

used maximum in cattle

breeding is

1. random mating

2. artificial insemination

3. controlled breeding

4. super ovulation and embryo transfer

Ans: 2

Question (19): Which of the

following is the high milk

yielding variety of cow?

1. Holstein

2. Dorset

3. Sahiwal

4. Red sindhi

Ans: 1

Question (20): Induced

breeding can be exploited to

increase the production of

1. camels

2. horses

3. fish

4. cows

Ans: 3

Question (21): Which of the

following is an animal product?

1. Pulses

2. Milk

3. Cereals

4. Fruits

Ans: 2

Question (22): Which of these

are autotrophs?

1. Plants

2. Animals

3. Both (a) and (b)

4. Neither (a) nor (b)

Ans: 1

Question (23): Which of these

is a macro nutrient?

1. Copper

2. Iron

3. Chlorine

4. Magnesium

Ans: 4

Question (24): Which of these

pests attack mustard?

1. Pod borer

2. Aphids

3. White grub

4. Pyrilla

Ans: 2

Question (25): The crop which

is affected by Red rot disease is

1. sugarcane

2. chickpea

3. rice

4. pigeonpea

Ans: 1

Question (26): Choose the

complex fertilizer.

1. Potassium sulphate

2. Calcium ammonium nitrate

3. Triple super phosphate

4. Urea ammonium phosphate

Ans: 4

Question (27): Choose the

abiotic factor.

1. Moisture content

2. Insects

3. Birds

4. Fungi

Ans: 1

Question (28): Pick the odd

one out.

1. Shoot borer

2. Gujhia

3. Pyrilla

4. Chickpea

Ans: 4

Question (29): Pick the odd

one out.

1. Hand hoeing

2. Herbicides

3. Weeding

4. Interculture

Ans: 2

Question (30): The science of

vegetable culture is called

1. agriculture

2. horticulture

3. apiculture

4. floriculture

Ans: 2

Question (31): All animals are

1. parasitic

2. saprophytic

3. autotrophic

4. heterotrophic

Ans: 4

Question (32): The chief cereal

crop of India is

1. wheat

2. sorghum

3. maize

4. rice

Ans: 4

Question (33): Which is the

most important source of food

and fodder?

1. Algae

2. Fungi

3. Lichen

4. Cereal

Ans: 4

Question (34): The element

which is required in largest

quantity by plants is

1. sulphur

2. calcium

3. nitrogen

4. phosphorus

Ans: 3

Question (35): Nodules with

nitrogen-fixing bacteria are

present in

1. gram

2. wheat

3. mustard

4. cotton

Ans: 1

Question (36): Application of

nitrogenous manure to a plant

causes

1. growth retardation due to toxicity of ammonia

2. early flowering

3. early fruiting

4. vigorous vegetative growth

Ans: 4

Question (37): Rotation of

crops is essential for

1. getting different kinds of crops

2. increasing quality of minerals

3. increasing fertility of soil

4. increasing quality of proteins

Ans: 3

Question (38): The unwanted

plants are known as

1. weeds

2. shrubs

3. grasses

4. reeds

Ans: 1

Question (39): Gundhy bug is

a pest of

1. sugarcane

2. rice

3. cotton

4. wheat

Ans: 2

Question (40): Living

organisms are used in _____.

1. organic manure

2. biofertilizers

3. natural insecticides

4. pesticides

Ans: 2

Question (41): Which of the

following is not a sustainable

agriculture technique?

1. Mixed farming

2. Slash and burn farming

3. Crop rotation

4. Crop selection

Ans: 2

Question (42): Which of the

following is not a basic need of

man?

1. Food

2. Cloth

3. Leisure

4. Shelter

Ans: 3

Question (43): Which of the

following is not a characteristic

of mixed cropping?

1. Minimises risk of crop failure

2. Set pattern of rows

3.Harvesting and threshing of crops separately is not

possible

4.Individual marketing and consumption of crop is not

possible

Ans: 2

Question (44): Who is the

architect of green revolution in

India?

1. M.S. Ramaiah

2. Aryabhatta

3. M.S. Swaminathan

4. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Ans: 3

Question (45): The unlikely

row pattern practiced in

intercropping is_________.

1. 1:1

2. 1:2

3. 1:3

4. 1:4

Ans: 4

Question (46): A popular

improved variety of rice

is_________.

1. Pusa 240

2. Pusa Bold

3. Pusa Basmati

4. Pusa Ageti

Ans: 3

Question (47): A popular

improved variety of maize

is_________.

1. Shakti

2. Manak

3. Aasha

4. Durga

Ans: 1

Question (48): Which of the

following is not a step of plant

breeding?

1. Introduction

2. Cultivation

3. Selection

4. Hybridization

Ans: 2

Question (49): Food-fodder

mixed farming system

corresponds to_________.

1. growing food crops alone

2. growing fodder crops alone

3. growing crops which can be used as food and as fodder

4. growing food crops and fodder crops

Ans: 4

Question (50): If a plant

breeder wants to develop a

disease-resistant variety, what

should he do first ?

1. Mutation

2. Selection

3. Hybridization

4. Production of crop

Ans: 2

Question (51): Which is the

oldest breeding method?

1. Hybridization

2. Selection

3. Mutation

4. Introduction

Ans: 4

Question (52): Which part of

the plant breeding is an art?

1. Acclimatisation

2. Technique of hybridisation

3. Clonal selection

4. Pure line selection

Ans: 2

Question (53): Plants can be

made disease-resistant

by_________.

1. heat treatment

2. hormone treatment

3. colchicines treatment

4. breeding with their wildly growing relatives

Ans: 4

   

 

Question (1): Match the following:

Answer:  01 - b

02 - d

03 - c

04 - a

Question (2): Give two reasons as to why there is tremendous

scope to develop fisheries in India.

Answer:  There is good scope for fisheries in India because

India has 1.6 million hectares of inland water bodies

Its coast line is 6500 km long.

Question (3): Why are wrestlers and sportsmen recommended to

have egg, meat and fish as a part of their diet?

Answer:  Sportsmen and wrestlers are recommended to have

egg, meat and fish as a part of their diet because they contain

high amounts of protein which is essential for growth and

development of muscles.

Question (4): The production of food from animal sources has

increased in the last few decades. Justify.

Answer:  Improved varieties and cross-breeds have been

developed

Proper health and disease control has also improved the yield

Question (5): Chicken A is (all chicken in reference are of same

variety egg laying) exposed to very bright sunlight, chicken B is

kept inside a dark building whereas chicken C is kept in a well-lit

building. Which chicken will have maximum laying output?

Answer:  Chicken C will have maximum laying output.

This is because it is exposed to moderate sunlight. Moderate light

intensity and duration has a favourable effect on the egg laying

output of the hens.

Question (6): Give two advantages of Holstein-Friesian over the

Red Sindhi.

Answer:  Advantages of Holstein-Friesian over the Red Sindhi

are:

Average milk production is more

Lactation periods extend through the year

Question (7): In a certain technique, the developing embryo from

a superior breed is removed and transferred into another female of

inferior characters. Name this technique.

Answer:  The technique is embryo transfer.

Question (8): At a certain organisation in India cross breeds such

as Karan swiss, karan fries etc. have been developed. Which

organisation is it? Where is it located?

Answer:  National Dairy Research Institute at Karnal, Haryana.

Question (9): A certain health conscious person needs to choose

between milk of the Surti and the Murrah. Which one should

he/she choose?

Answer:  He/she should opt for the milk from the Murrah as its fat

content (<7%) is lesser than that of the Surti (8%-12%).

Question (10): Cows A and B are of same breed. Cow A is fed on

grass and cow B is fed on maize, grass, barley, etc. Which do you

expect to give a higher quantity of milk?

Answer:  Cow B as it has both roughage and concentrates in its

diet.

Question (11): Which is the odd one out: Karan swiss, Karan

fries, Sahiwal, Freswal?

Answer:  Sahiwal. The rest are exotic breeds of cows.

Question (12): Give three suggestions to improve the health and

hygiene of cows and buffaloes.

Answer:  The floor of the shed should be sloping to facilitate the

cleaning of the shed and to keep it dry.

They should be sheltered from rain, heat and cold.

They should be provided with feeding passages and feeding

troughs.

Question (13): Why are additives (in addition to roughage and

concentrates) important for the growth of dairy animals? Name

two additives.

Answer:  Additives are important as they increase yield of milk

and protect the cattle from diseases.

Minerals and hormones are additives.

Question (14): In which period of a cow's life is milk producing

food important?

Answer:  Milk producing food is very important during lactation

period of a cow.

Question (15): What is the basic difference between the following

sets of food?

Set A: Green fodder, hay, silage

Set B: Maize, oats, barley, jowar

Answer:  Set A contains fibres or roughage whereas set B is low

in fibre and high in proteins and nutrients.

Question (16): Suggest two control measures to prevent

transmitting of diseases from infected animals to other living

creatures.

Answer:  The two control measures to prevent transmitting of

diseases from infected animals to other living creatures are:

Proper disposal and burial of diseased animals.

Hygienic handling of all animal products and by-products

Question (17): Classify diseases of dairy animals into three

groups.

Answer:  Parasitic diseases

Infectious diseases

Non-infectious diseases

Question (18): Suggest two methods to improve the

characteristics of a certain breed of cow.

Answer:  The two methods to improve the characteristics of a

certain breed of cow are:

Artificial insemination

Embryo transfer

Question (19): Identify two requirements (in the food) for broilers?

Answer:  The two requirements (in the food) for broilers are:

Protein rich food with adequate fat

Adequate quantity of vitamin A and vitamin K

Question (20): Name four seafood items other than fish.

Answer:  Seafood items other than fish are oyster, mussels,

shrimps and lobsters.

Question (21): State whether the following are true or false:

(a) Jersey is an Indian breed of cow.

(b) Mehsana is a breed of buffalo.

(c) Rinderpest is a parastic disease.

(d) Karan swiss is produced by crossbreeding Jersy and Red

sindhi.

Answer:  Jersey is an Indian breed of cow

False

Mehsana is a breed of buffalo.

True

Rinderpest is a parastic disease.

False

Karan swiss is produced by crossbreeding Jersy and Red

sindhi.

False

Question (22): What is IPN?

Answer:  IPN is an infectious disease that affects fish. It stands

for Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis.

Question (23): What is VHS?

Answer:  VHS is an infectious disease that affects fish. It stands

for Viral Haemorrhagic Septicemia.

Question (24): Name three crossbred strains of poultry.

Answer:  Three crossbred strains of poultry: HH-260, IBL-80 and

B-77

Question (25): What is artificial insemination?

Answer:  The process of freezing the semen collected from a bull

and then injecting it into the vagina of a cow which is in heat is

called artificial insemination.

Question (26): Give the expansion of NDRI.

Answer:  NDRI: National Dairy Research Institute.

Question (27): Classify the food requirement of dairy animals into

two groups.

Answer:  Food requirement of dairy animals can be classified

into:

Maintenance requirement

Milk producing requirement

Question (28): What are the different breeds of cows?

Answer:  The different breeds of cows are:

Draught breed: used for doing physical work

The different breeds of cows are:

Dairy breed: used for producing milk

Dual purpose: used for both purposes

Question (29): Name two important components of animal feed.

Answer:  Two important components of animal feed are:

roughage

concentrates

Question (30): How are goats and sheep useful to us?

Answer:  Goats and sheep provide us with:

meat

milk

wool

Question (31): Name two indigenous (local) breeds of sheep

found in our country.

Answer:  Nellore and Mandya are two indigenous (local) breeds

of sheep.

Question (32): Define animal husbandry.

Answer:  Animal husbandry deals with the breeding, feeding and

caring of domestic animals. It requires proper shelter, nutrition,

breeding, disease control and proper economic utilisation.

Question (33): Name two improved cross breeds of cow.

Answer:  Jersey and Brown Swiss are two important cross breeds

of cow.

Question (34): Give three advantages of artificial insemination.

Answer:  The three advantages of artifical insemination are:

Many cows (upto 3000) can be fertilized using the semen of one

bull

Frozen semen can be stored for a long time

Method is economical

Question (35): Mention the protein content in milk, egg and fish.

Answer:  Protein content of :

Egg = 13%

Meat= 21%

Fish= 19%

Question (36): Name two varieties of Indian fish.

Answer:  Catla and Rohu are two varieties of Indian fish.

Question (37): Divide the life span of poultry into two stages.

Answer:  The two stages in the life of poultry are :

Growing period: up to sexual maturity

Laying period: period from sexual maturity till the end of egg

laying period

Question (38): Mention the measures that need to be taken for

prevention of diseases in animals.

Answer:  The following steps can be adopted in order to prevent

diseases in animals:

Cleaning, sanitation and spraying of disinfectants should be

carried out at regular intervals.

Appropriate vaccination should be given to prevent infectious

diseases.

Question (39): What are 'layers'?

Answer:  Chickens that are used for laying eggs are called layers.

Question (40): State two qualities of essential nutrients.

Answer:  The two qualitites of an essential nutrients are:

In its absence the plant is unable to complete its life cycle.

The element must have a direct influence on plant nutrition and

metabolism.

Question (41): Define macro nutrients.

Answer:  Nutrients that are utilized by plants in large quantities

are called macro nutrients.

Question (42): Give two ways in which manures affect the soil.

Answer:  The two ways in which manures affect the soil are:

They enrich the soil with nutrients.

They increase the water holding capacity in sandy soils.

Question (43): What is composting?

Answer:  Composting is a biological process in which both

aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms decompose organic

matter.

Question (44): Explain the process of green manuring.

Answer:  Green manuring involves ploughing of green plants into

soil for the purpose of improving physical structure as well as soil

fertility. The green manure crops are grown in the field for about 6-

8 weeks and turned into field in tender stage. These crops remain

buried for about 1 or 2 months. During this period, plants would be

completely decomposed before sowing of next crop.

Question (45): Why should fertilizers be used in small quantities?

Answer:  Fertilizers should be used in small quantities because

they contain higher amounts of nutrients than that present in soil.

Question (46): What is the drawback of using chemical fertilizers?

Answer:  These chemicals get washed off during irrigation,

rainfall, etc., reach rivers and pollute them, thereby disturbing the

natural ecosystems.

Question (47): When are wells used as sources of water?

Answer:  When exploitable ground water is present wells are

constructed.

Question (48): When is river lift system used?

Answer:  In areas whose canal flow is insufficient or irregular due

to inadequate reservoir, river lift system is more rational.

Question (49): What are the causes for the spoilage of stored

grains?

Answer:  The causes can be classified as:

Biotic factors: which include insects, birds, rodents, fungi, etc.

Abiotic factors: which include moisture content and temperature.

Question (50): Write a note on the methods used for pest control.

Answer:  Root cutting type of insects are controlled by mixing

insecticide chloropyriphos in soil.

Stem and leaf cutting and boring type of insects are controlled by

dusting or spraying the contact insecticides, malathion, lindane

and thiodan.

Sap sucking insects can be controlled by spraying systematic

insecticides of dimethoate and metasystox.

Question (51): How are air borne diseases controlled?

Answer:  Air borne diseases are controlled by spraying fungicide

solution on infested crops.

Question (52): How do weeds affect plants?

Answer:  Weeds consume the nutrients and water in the fields.

This results in poor yields and poor quality of produce.

Question (53): Give three methods of ensuring the maintenance

of hygiene in storage of grains.

Answer:  The three methods of ensuring maintenance of hygiene

are:

Godowns and stores should be properly cleaned.

Cracks and holes in the wall, floor or ceiling should be sealed.

Earthen pots should be cleaned and properly exposed to sun

before using them for grain storage.

Question (54): Give the control measure to be taken against rust

in wheat.

Answer:  Control measure: Spray diethane solution in water at

intervals of 10 days.

Question (55): How can the efficiency of irrigation water be

increased?

Answer:  The efficiency of irrigation water can be increased by:

Selecting appropriate crop and cropping system

Applying optimum quantity of water at the appropriate time

Keeping weeds under control

Time scheduling operation

Controlling pests

Question (56): What are pesticides?

Answer:  Chemicals used to control pests like weeds, mites,

rodents, fungi are called pesticides.

Question (57): How can rice be protected from Leaf Hopper

insect pest?

Answer:  Rice can be protected from Leaf Hopper insect pest by

spraying monocrotophos.

Question (58): How does white grub affect groundnut?

Answer:  White grub feeds on roots. Adult beetles feed on leaves

and thus, affect the groundnut crop.

Question (59): What are tanks?

Answer:  Tanks are small storage reservoirs which intercept and

store the run off of smaller catchment areas.

Question (60): Why is food required?

Answer:  Food is required for growth, development and body

repair. It also protects the body from diseases.

Question (61): What are natural sources of nutrients of plants?

Answer:  The natural sources of nutrients of plants are:

Air

Water

Soil

Question (62): Name the plant macro nutrients.

Answer:  The macro nutrients are:

Nitrogen

Phosphorous

Potassium

Calcium

Magnesium

Sulphur

Question (63): Name the plant micro nutrients.

Answer:  The micro nutrients are:

Iron

Manganese

Zinc

Copper

Molybdenum

Chlorine

Question (64): What is a manure?

Answer:  A manure is a bulky source of organic matter which

supplies nutrients in small quantities but organic matter in large

quantities.

Question (65): What is the purpose of green manuring?

Answer:  The purpose of green manuring is to improve the

physical structure as well as soil fertility.

Question (66): Name the groups of fertilizers.

Answer:  The groups of fertilizers are:

Nitrogenous

Phosphatic

Potassic

Complex

Question (67): Give two ways in which efficiency of irrigation

water can be increased.

Answer:  The two ways in which efficiency of irrigation water can

be increased are:

Keeping weeds under control

Controlling rodent pests

Question (68): Name the different irrigation systems.

Answer:  The different irrigation systems are:

Canal system

Tanks

Wells

River valley system

River lift system

Question (69): Give two preventive measures of pests.

Answer:  The two preventive measures of pests are:

Crop rotation and cropping system

Summer ploughing

Question (70): Name the three ways in which insect pests attack

plants.

Answer:  The three ways in which insect pests attack plants are:

They cut root, stem and leaf

They suck cell sap from various parts of the plant

They bore into stem and fruits

Question (71): What are the ways in which pathogens are

transmitted?

Answer:  Pathogens are transmitted by:

Seed and soil

Water

Air

Question (72): What are weeds?

Answer:  Weeds are unwanted plants that grow in fields. They

adversely affect plant growth.

Question (73): Give the methods of controlling weeds.

Answer:  The methods of controlling weeds are:

Mechanical method

Cultural method

Chemical method

Biological method

Question (74): Give four preventive measures that can be taken

to protect crops.

Answer:  The four preventive measures that can be taken to

protect crops are:

Drying

Maintenance of hygiene

Prophylactic treatment

Improved structures

Question (75): What are the control measures taken against

pests attacking food grains?

Answer:  The control measures taken against pests attacking

food grains are:

Chemical control

Fumigation

Plant products

Question (76): What is the control measure that can be taken

against white grub?

Answer:  To prevent white grub from attacking ground nut thimet

granules should be applied before sowing.

Question (77): Which are the two types of wells?

Answer:  The two types of wells are:

Dug wells

Tube wells

Question (78): What is crop production?

Answer:  Crop production is the use of plant response within soil

and atmospheric environment to produce a high yield per unit area

of land.

Question (79): What is a complex fertilizer?

Answer:  When a fertilizer contains atleast 2 nutrients it is called a

complex fertilizer.

Question (80): Why do we need sustainable agriculture?

Answer:  Natural resources are getting depleted at an alarming

rate. We now need to increase production to feed the growing

population without damaging the resources.

Question (81): Comment on the statistics of per-capita availability

of land.

Answer:  The per-capita availability of land was 0.5 ha in 1950-51

and 0.13 ha in 1999-2000. It is expected to drop to 0.08 ha in

2020.

(Hectare - ha)

Question (82): Mention the techniques involved in sustainable

agriculture.

Answer:  The techniques are mixed farming, mixed cropping, crop

rotation and crop selection.

Question (83): Differentiate between agro-forestry and horti-

pastoral system.

Answer:  Agro-forestry systems refer to raising crops along with

trees whereas horti-pastoral systems refer to growing fodder

grasses with fruit trees.

Question (84): Why was mixed cropping adopted?

Answer:  Mixed cropping was adopted to greatly reduce the risk

of crop failure due to lack of water in rain fed areas.

Question (85): Match the following as pairs for mixed cropping.

Answer: 

Question (86): A farmer has a pigeon pea field. With which other

crop can he mix crop it?

Answer:  He can mix crop pigeon pea with soya bean, sorghum

or mung bean.

Question (87): If you were a farmer, what criteria would you

consider before selecting crops for mixed cropping?

Answer:  Duration of crops

Growth habits (relative heights)

Root patterns

Water requirement

Nutrient demand

Question (88): In mixed cropping, why do both plants have

complementary features and requirements?

Answer:  This is done to reduce competition between the plants

for light, nutrients and water.

Question (89): What is the disadvantage of growing the same

crop continuously?

Answer:  This results in the loss of certain nutrients and promotes

diseases, insects and pests.

Question (90): What is the advantage of two-year rotation over

one-year rotation?

Answer:  In the two-year rotation more soil nutrients are

replenished when compared to the one-year rotation.

Question (91): Compare mixed cropping and intercropping.

Answer:  Comparison between mixed cropping and intercropping

Question (92): If you were to select crop for rotation, what points

would you keep in mind?

Answer:  Availability of water

Nutrient status of soil

Availability of inputs

Example: Fertilizers, pesticides, man and machine power.

Duration of crop

Marketing and processing facilities

Question (93): Why are different methods required for the

assessment of the productivity of crops?

Answer:  When different crops are grown in the same field in the

same year, comparison of their productivities become difficult due

to variation in inputs and outputs. Hence different methods of

assessment are looked upon.

Question (94): What are the net returns of a crop rotation?

Answer:  The monetary difference of input and output value is

expressed as net returns = monetary gross returns - cost of

cultivation.

Question (95): Why is there a need for varietal improvement in

food production?

Answer:  The demands of a growing population and change in

human needs has to be satisfied. Hence varietal improvement is

essential.

Question (96): Why is selection important during plant breeding?

Answer:  Selection propagates desirable characteristics of yield

and quality of some plants rather than others.

Question (97): Why is the method of hybridization used in

agriculture?

Answer:  Hybridization is used to develop a number of improved

variety of plants with desirable characteristics.

Question (98): What are the basic needs of man?

Answer:  The main concerns of man are food, shelter and

clothing.

Question (99): Define sustainable agriculture.

Answer:  Sustainable agriculture

It is the successful management of resources for agriculture to

satisfy the changing human needs, while maintaining or enhancing

the quality of environment and conserving natural resources.

Question (100): What does the sustainability of mixed farming

depend on?

Answer:  Quality of soil and livestock, location, topography, water

facilities, available technology and economics must be considered

before mixed farming.

Question (101): Name any two important farming systems.

Answer:  Food-fodder farming

Agro-forestry

Question (102): Define mixed cropping.

Answer:  It is the growing of two or more crops simultaneously on

the same piece of land.

Question (103): What is the aim of mixed cropping?

Answer:  Mixed cropping aims at minimizing risk and insuring

against crop failure.

Question (104): What are the advantages of mixed cropping?

Answer:  No risk of crop failure

Variety of produce

Increase in yield

Question (105): How does mixed cropping increase yield?

Answer:  The yield is increased due to complementary effect.

Example: Legume crops complemented with cereals and other

non-legume crops increase the yield.

Question (106): Define intercropping.

Answer:  It is the growing of two more crops simultaneously in the

same field in a definite row pattern.

Question (107): Write any one-year rotation combination and any

two-year rotation combination.

Answer:  One-year rotation: Rice - Wheat

Two-year rotation: Maize - Potato

Question (108): Define crop rotation.

Answer:  It is the growing of different crops in a piece of land in a

pre-planned succession.

Question (109): Why are legumes desirable in crop rotation?

Answer:  Including legumes in the crop rotation cycle builds up

the fertility of soil.

Question (110): What is the cost benefit ratio?

Answer:  It is a method to assess the productivity of crop rotation.

It is the

Question (111): What is varietal improvement?

Answer:  Varietal improvement is the variation in plants by

tailoring the plant to suit various needs. It has resulted in a

dramatic change in our agriculture.

Question (112): Define plant breeding.

Answer:  It is the science as well as art of improving the genetic

make-up of plants in relation to their economic use.

Question (113): Write any two improved varieties of rice and

wheat respectively.

Answer:  Rice - Pusa Basmati 1, Vikas

Wheat - HD2687, HD2285

Question (114): Ganga 5 and Shakti are improved varieties of

which crop?

Answer:  Ganga 5 and Shakti are improved varieties of maize.

Question (115): Define hybridisation.

Answer:  Hybridisation refers to the crossing between genetically

dissimilar plants to achieve desired qualities of both parent plants

in the offspring (hybrid).