Q1. How do biotic and abiotic factors affect crop production?
Ans:
2 major factors that affect the crop are:
Biotic factors like insects, rodents, pests, and many more spread
the disease and reduce crop production.
Abiotic factors like humidity, temperature, moisture, wind, rain,
flood and many more destroy the crop raised.
Q2. What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvement?
Ans:
The essential agronomic features required for crop improvement are:
Profuse branching along with tallness in any fodder crop.
Dwarfness in any cereals.
[Link] are macro-nutrients, and why are they called macronutrients?
Ans: Macro-nutrients are the fundamental elements that are used by
plants in more quantity. Macro-nutrients needed by the plants are
Q4. How do plants get nutrients?
Ans: There are 16 basic essential nutrients required by plants to
grow. Carbon and Oxygen are supplied by water, and the remaining
nutrients are supplied through the soil.
[Link] the use of manure and fertilisers in maintaining soil
fertility.
Ans:
Manure improves soil quality with added nutrients.
Manure provides extra organic matter called humus to the soil and
therefore increasing the water retention capacity of sandy soils and
drainage in clayey soil.
Manures reduce soil erosion.
They provide food for soil-friendly bacteria, which are helpful in
growing crops.
The effects of fertilisers are
Fertilisers make the soil become too dry and powdered and raise the
rate of soil erosion.
The organic matter decreases by decreasing the porosity of the soil;
hence, the plant roots do not get oxygen properly.
The nature of soil changes, either basic or acidic.
Q6. Why should preventive measures and biological control methods be
preferred for protecting crops?
Ans:
Over-exposure to chemicals leads to environmental problems; hence,
biological methods are preferred for protecting crops from pathogens,
insects and rodents, along with increasing production. Since chemicals are
harmful to plants and also to the animals which feed on them, bio-
pesticides are used as a safe way of crop protection.
Q7. What factors may be responsible for the losses of grains during
storage?
Ans:
Biotic and Abiotic factors are responsible for the loss of grains during
storage like
Rodents
Pests
Insects
Fungi
Bacteria
Sunlight
Flood
Rain
Temperature
Moistur
Q8 Which method is commonly used for improving cattle breeds and why?
Ans:
Cross-breading is generally the best method adopted for improving cattle
breed quality. In this method, breeding between two good cattle breeds
results in a new, improved variety of cattle breeds or offspring. While
breeding, care is taken to have a good resultant with a high yield having
resistance to climatic conditions.
Q9.. What management practices are common in dairy and poultry farming?
Ans:
Well-designed Hygienic shelter for dairy animals and poultry birds.
Good quality proper food and fodder are provided to dairy animals
and poultry birds.
Importance for animal health by prevention and cure of disease
caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
Sunlight-feasible and airy ventilated shelter for animals.
[Link] are the differences between broilers and layers and their
management?
Ans:Broilers
The poultry bird raised for meat purposes is called a broiler. Broilers
feed on protein-rich adequate-fat food. The level of vitamins A and K is
kept high in poultry feeds.
Layers
The egg-laying poultry bird is called a layer. The housing, environmental
and nutritional requirements of broilers vary from those of egg layers.
Layers require proper lighting and enough space.
Q11. How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?
Ans:
Good practice of animal husbandry benefits farmers in the following ways:
Yields in good quality cattle
Better quality of milk production
Use in agriculture for carting, irrigation and tilling
[Link] are the benefits of cattle farming?
Ans:
The benefits of cattle farming are
Cattle are used for agricultural purposes
Generation of good quality cattle
Milking and meat purpose
The skin of cattle is used for the leather and wool industry
TEXTUAL QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Exercise Questions
Q1. Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.
Ans:
Plant breeding is one of the methods adopted for high-yield plant breeding
and is implemented to improve the varieties of crops by breeding plants.
Plants from various places/areas are picked up with preferred traits, and
then the process of hybridisation or cross-breeding is done among these
diversities to get a crop/plant of anticipated characteristics.
Q2. Why are manure and fertilisers used in fields?
Ans:
Manures and fertilisers are used to enrich the soil quality and improve
the yield. They also help in controlling diseases. Manure and fertilisers
replenish the soil by supplying nutrients to the soil. They are excellent
sources of potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen which assist in the healthy
development of plants. Manures and fertilisers mainly improve the
fertility of the soil.
Q3. What are the advantages of inter-cropping and crop rotation?
Ans:
Inter-cropping
Checks pests and rodents and hence decreases the chances of the
spoiling of whole crops
Decreased chances of soil erosion
Reduced loss of crops with high yield
Less water requirement
Crop rotation
Farmers can grow two or three crops annually
Pulses take nitrogen directly from the atmosphere and hence require
a minimal amount of fertilisers
Both fruits and vegetables can be grown easily
Best use of land with a proper supply of nutrients
Q4. What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural
practices?
Ans:
Genetic manipulation is a process in which the transfer of genes takes
place from one organism to another. Here, a gene of a particular character
is introduced inside the chromosome cell, resulting in a transgenic plant.
Example: BT Cotton is a genetically modified crop which carries bacterial
genes that protect this plant from insects. These are used in plants like
brinjal, cabbage, rice, cauliflower, and maize crops to get protection
from insects
Q5. How do storage grain losses occur?
Ans:
Storage grain losses occur due to various abiotic and biotic factors.
Abiotic factors
Humidity
Air
Temperature
Flood
Wind
Biotic factors
Insects
Rodents
Pesticides
Bacteria
Mites
Birds
Q8. For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries and
bee-keeping?
Ans:
For increasing production, cross-breeding techniques are used adopted in
poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping. Along with these techniques, regular
and proper maintenance methods are useful in improving production.
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