Crop Production and Management

 Crop: Same kind of plants grown for food on a large-scale are known as crops.

o On the basis of the growing season, crops are of two types- Kharif crops and Rabi crops.

 Kharif crops – Crops that are grown in the rainy season (June to September). Example –
soyabean, paddy and maize.

o Soil requirement: Alluvial loam with a subsoil of clay

o Cultivation methods: Seeds for Kharif crops can be sown through broadcasting, dibbling,
drilling, or transplantation

 Rabi crops – Crops that are grown in the winter season (October to March). Example –
wheat, gram and pea.

o Soil requirement: Clay loamy soil or black soil

o Cultivation methods: Seeds for Rabi crops can be sown through broadcasting, dibbling, or
drilling. The seeds are generally sown soon after the rainy season.

 Green Revolution: It is a programme started in the 1960's to increase the agricultural

productivity by the use of improved seeds and advanced agricultural technologies.

 Organic Farming: It is the practice of cultivating crops without the use chemical fertilisers,
weedicides or pesticides.

 Basic crop production practices

o Preparation of soil
o Sowing
o Adding manure and fertilizers
o Irrigation
o Removal of weeds (weeding)
o Harvesting
o Threshing
o Storage

Preparation of soil for cultivation: Loosening and upturning of the soil. This process is
known as tilling or ploughing.

 Implements used in ploughing

 Plough
o It is made up of wood and contains two parts.

(a) Ploughshare (strong triangular strip of iron)

(b) Plough shaft (main wooden axis of plough)

o Driven with the help of animals

o Brings nutrient rich soil to the top
o Helps in aeration of the soil

 Hoe
o Consists of long rod of wood or iron
o Contains strong, broad, and bent plate of iron at one of its end
o Driven with the help of animals
o Used for removing weeds and loosening the soil

 Cultivator
o Modern method of ploughing which saves both time and labour.
o It is carried out with the help of a tractor

 Sowing
o Planting of seeds of a crop in the soil is called sowing.
o Good quality and healthy seeds must be used in order to produce healthy crop plants.

 Tools used in sowing

 Traditional tool

o Funnel-shaped
o Seeds are placed in soil with the help of a long pipe with sharp ends
o This tool is driven by a plough

 Seed drill
o It contains a set of uniformly arranged tubes
o Seeds are uniformly placed in soil at appropriate depth.
o Driven with the help of a tractor

 Addition of Manure and Fertilizers

o It supplies plants with essential nutrients for growth and development.

 Manures
o Prepared from decomposed animals and plant waste.
o Provides organic matter and humus to the soil but is less rich in plant nutrients.
o Enhances the water holding capacity and texture of the soil.
o Make the soil porous for proper aeration.

 Fertilizers
o Commercially available inorganic salts rich in plant nutrients.
o Do not provide humus to the soil.
o Make soil less fertile in the long run.

Irrigation- Supplying water to plants at different intervals is called irrigation.

Sources of irrigation: Wells, tube wells, ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, dams etc.

Methods of irrigation

 Traditional methods

o Moat (pulley system)

o Chain pump
o Dhekli
o Rahat (Lever system)

 Modern methods

1. Sprinkler system

o Useful for uneven land and sandy soil.

o Uses system of perpendicular pipes with rotating nozzle on top, which sprinkles water on
crops.
o Provides efficient coverage of water for large area.

2. Drip system

o Water falls drop by drop at the roots of plants.

o Provides efficient irrigation and prevents water wastage.
o Used commonly for watering fruit plants, gardens, and trees.

 Protection from Weeds

o Weeds: They are undesirable plants that grow along with the
crops. Xanthium and Parthenium are the common weeds. They compete with the crops for
water, nutrient, space and light.

o Weeding: It is the process of removal of weeds from the cultivated field.

 Mechanical methods of weeding

o Removal by hand
o Removal using khurpi
o Using seed drill or plough

 Chemical methods of weeding

o Spraying of weedicides. (example 2, 4-D)
 Harvesting

o The process of cutting of mature crops from the field is called harvesting.
o The process of removing grains from chaff is called threshing.
o The process of separating grains from the husk in the mixture of threshed chaff is
called winnowing.

 Instruments used for harvesting

o Sickle
o Harvester
o Combine- It is the combined harvester and thresher.

 Storage
o The process of keeping crop grains safe from spoilage by moisture, insects, rats and
microorganisms for a long time is called storage.
o Small scale storage of grains: It is usually done in jute bags and metallic bins.
o Large scale storage of grains: It is done in silos and granaries.

 Food from animals

o Milk is obtained from cow, buffalo, goat, and camel.
o Meat is obtained from chicken, goat, and sheep.
o Eggs are obtained from chicken and ducks.

 Animal husbandry
o The science of rearing animals for a commercial purpose on a large scale is known
as animal husbandry. It includes feeding, breeding, disease control and providing shelter
and care.
Question 3:
Give two examples of each.
(a) Kharif crop
(b) Rabi crop
Answer 3:
(a) Kharif crop Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton, etc.
(b) Rabi crop Wheat, gram, pea, mustard, etc.

Question 4:
Write a paragraph in your own words on each of the following.
(a) Preparation of soil (b) Sowing
(c) Weeding (d) Threshing
Answer 4:
(a) Preparation of soil
The preparation of soil is the first step before growing a crop. One of the most important
tasks in agriculture is to turn the soil and loosen it. This allows the roots to penetrate
deep into the soil. The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes
which are friends of the farmer and add humus to it. Also, turning and loosening of soil
brings the nutrient-rich soil to the top so that plants can use these nutrients.
(b) Sowing
Sowing is the most important part of crop production. Before sowing, good quality seeds
are selected. Good quality seeds are clean and healthy seeds of a good variety. Seeds can
be sown by seed drill or manually.
(c) Weeding
Weeds are unwanted plants that grown along with crops and removal of weeds is known
as weeding. Weeds can be removed either manually by using tools like khurpi or by using
weedicides like 2, 4 – D. These are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds.
(d) Threshing
The process of separation of the grains from the chaff is called threshing. This is carried
out with the help of a machine called ‘combine’ which is in fact a combined harvester and
thresher.

2
Question 5:
Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.
Answer 5:
The main Differences between Fertiliser and Manure are as follows:
[Link] Fetilisers Manures
1. A fertiliser is an inorganic salt. Manure is a natural substance obtained by
the decomposition of cattle dung, human
waste and plant residues.
2. A fertiliser is prepared in Manure can be prepared in the fields.
factories.
3. A fertiliser does not provide any Manure provides a lot of humus to the soil.
humus to the soil.
4. Fertilisers are very rich in plant Manure is relatively less rich in plant
nutrients like nitrogen, nutrients.
phosphorus and potassium.

Question 6:
What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation which conserve water.
Answer 6:
The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation. The two methods
of irrigation which conserve water are as follows:
(i) Sprinkler System:
Under this method, the perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to
the main pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to flow through the main
pipe under pressure with the help of a pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles. It gets
sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining.
(ii) Drip system:
In this system, the water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots. It is the best
technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees. Water is not wasted at all. It is a
boon in regions where availability of water is poor.

3
Question 7:
If wheat is sown in the kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.
Answer 7:
Wheat is a rabi crop, hence it requires cold climatic conditions to be grown properly. If it
is sown in the kharif season, it will not grow or may get destroyed due to excessive rains
in the kharif season.

Question 8:
Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.
Answer 8:
Soil supplies mineral nutrients to the crop. These nutrients are essential for the growth
of plants. Continuous growing of crops in the same field makes the soil poorer in certain
nutrients. This makes the soil infertile. And then, to replenish the soil with nutrients
farmers need to add manures to the soil.

Question 9:
What are weeds? How can we control them?
Answer 9:
The undesirable plants may grow naturally along with the crop are called weeds. There
are many ways to remove weeds and control their growth. Weeds can be removed by
uprooting or cutting them close to the ground, from time to time. This is done with the
help of a khurpi.
Weeds are also controlled by using certain chemicals, called weedicides, like 2, 4–D.
These are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds.

Question 10:
Arrange the following boxes in proper order to make a flow chart of sugarcane crop
production.

4
 1. Crop Production and Management
Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Question

Which agricultural practice is carried out with the help of a sickle?

Answer

Sickle: A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool used for harvesting, or

reaping crops (as shown below)

Harvesting in our country is either done manually by sickle or by a

machine called harvester. The other agricultural practices which are
done by sickle are: preparing hay and also cutting some crops.

2. Question

What name is given to the cutting and gathering of a food crop like
wheat or paddy?

Answer

The cutting and gathering of mature food crop like wheat or paddy is
known as harvesting.

3. Question

Name the tool (or implement) used in the traditional harvesting of

crops.

Answer

Sickle is general purpose of harvesting tool which is used in the

traditional harvesting of crops.
4. Question

Name the process of beating out the grains from harvested crop.

Answer

The process of beating out the grains from the harvested crop plants is
called threshing.

5. Question

Name the machine used in recovering the grain from already cut crop.

Answer

A machine called combine is used for harvesting and threshing (Cutting

of standing crop and recovering grains).

6. Question

Name the machine which does the cutting of standing crops and
recovers the grain too.

Answer

A machine called combine is used for harvesting and threshing (Cutting

of standing crop and recovering grains).

7. Question

Name the process in which grains are separated from chaff and hay with
the help of wind.

Answer

The process in which grains are separated from chaff with the help of
wind is called winnowing.

8. Question

Name three food materials obtained from animals.

Answer

The food materials that we obtain from animals are milk, meat and eggs.

9. Question

Name two domestic animals which are used to obtained milk.

Answer
Cow and buffalo are two domestic animals which are used to obtained
milk.

10. Question

Name one meat yielding animal and one egg yielding animal.

Answer

Goat is meat yielding animal and hen is egg yielding animal.

11. Question

Name an animal food obtained from insect.

Answer

Honey is an animal food obtained from insect called “bees”.

12. Question

What name is given to that branch of agriculture which deals with

feeding, shelter, health and breeding of domestic animals?

Answer

The branch of agriculture which deals with feeding, shelter, health and
breeding of domestic animals is called animal husbandry.

13. Question

Name one major food nutrient provided by ish.

Answer

Fish is good for health. We get cod liver oil from ish which is rich in
vitamin D.

14. Question

Name the vitamin/vitamins present in cod liver oil.

Answer

Cod liver oil of ish is rich in vitamin D.

15. Question

Name one Government agency which is involved in procuring food

grains (like wheat and rice) from farmers and storing them properly.

Answer
The government agency like food corporation of India (FCI) buy food
grains from farmers and storing them properly.

16. Question

What type of organisms grow on stored food grains having higher

moisture content?

Answer

Organisms fungus and moulds grow on stored food grains having higher
moisture content.

17. Question

Which crop is generally grown between two cereals crops in crop

rotation to restore the fertility of soil?

Answer

Leguminous crops like pulses, beans, peas are generally grown between
two cereals crops in crop rotation to restore the fertility of soil.

18. Question

State one advantages of growing a leguminous crop between two cereals

crops.

Answer

Rotation of crops (leguminous and non-leguminous crops) in the same

ield replenishes the soil with nitrogen naturally and increases the soil
fertility.

19. Question

Name the nitrogen- ixing bacteria present in root nodules of

leguminous plants.

Answer

The nitrogen- ixing bacteria present in root nodules of leguminous

plants is rhizobium bacteria.

20. Question

Which agricultural practice comes irst: harvesting or weeding?

Answer

Agricultural practice weeding comes irst.

21. Question
Which is the irst step in the cultivation of a crop?

Answer

The preparation of soil is the irst step in the cultivation of a crop.

22. Question

For what purpose is a hoe used?

Answer

It is a simple tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening
the soil.

23. Question

Name the implement used in sowing.

Answer

The implement used for sowing is seed drill.

24. Question

Name the practice used for cultivating paddy.

Answer

The practice used for cultivating paddy is transplantation.

25. Question

Name the two types of substances which are added two the ields by the
farmers to maintain the fertility of soil.

Answer

Manure and fertilizers are added to the ields by the farmers to

maintain the fertility of soil.

26. Question

Some grass is growing in a wheat ield. What will it be known as?

Answer

These grass is known as weed.

27. Question

Name one crop which can tolerate standing water (water-logging) in

the ield and one which cannot.
Answer

Paddy crop (rice crop) can tolerate standing water in the ield whereas
crops like wheat, gram cannot.

28. Question

Which is the best time for the removal of weeds?

Answer

The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce lowers
and seeds.

29. Question

Name two methods of irrigation with conserve water.

Answer

(i) sprinkler system (ii) Drip system

30. Question

Fill in the following blanks:

(a) The same kind of plants grown and cultivated on a large scale at a
place is called ………………….

(b) The irst step before growing crops is ......._........of soil.

(c) For growing a crop, suf icient sunlight, .........., and ............. from the soil
are essential.

(d) Damaged seeds would ........... on top of water.

(e) Crop rotation helps in the replenishment of soil with ..............

(f) The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called ..............

(g) The unwanted plants present in a crop ield are called...............

(h) Dried..............leaves are used for storing food grains at home.

(i) Many people living in the ..........areas consume ish as a major part of
their diet.

Answer

(a) crop (b) preparation (c) nutrients; water

(d) loat (e) nitrogen (f) irrigation

(g) weeds (h) neem (i) coastal

Short Answer Type Questions

31 A. Question

Why is it is necessary to dry the harvested food grains before storage ?

Answer

The fresh crop has more moisture. So, the food grains obtained by
harvesting the crop are dried before storage. If freshly harvested food
grains are stored without drying, they may get spoilt or attacked by
organisms, losing their germination capacity.

31 B. Question

What are the two ways in which farmers store food grains ?

Answer

The farmers store food grains in jute bags and metal bins at home.

32. Question

Out of drip system and sprinkler system of irrigation, which one is more
suitable :

(a) for uneven land?

(b) for sandy soil?

(c) for watering fruit plants ?

(d) where availability of water is poor?

Answer

(a) Sprinkler system is more suitable for uneven land where suf icient
water is not available.

(b) Sprinkler system is very useful for sandy soil.

(c) Drip system is best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and
trees.

(d) Drip system of irrigation is more suitable where availability of

water is poor.

33 A. Question

What are weeds? Name any one weed found in a crop ield.
Answer

The undesirable plants which grow along with a cultivated crop are
called weeds. Wild oat is a weed which is found in wheat crop ield.

33 B. Question

How do weeds affect the growth of crops?

Answer

Weed compete with the crop plants for water, nutrients, space and light.
Thus, they affect the growth of crops.

34. Question

Explain how, the irrigation requirements depend on the nature of the

crop.

Answer

Proper watering of crop at right time is called irrigation. Each crop

needs a speci ic amount of water during its various stages of its growth.
The irrigation requirements depend on the nature of crop. Some crops
like paddy crop (rice crop) need more water whereas other crops like
wheat, gram require less water.

35. Question

Explain how, the irrigation requirements of a crop depend on the nature

of soil in which the crop is grown.

Answer

The irrigation requirements of a crop depend on the nature of soil in

which the crop is grown. There are two types of soil- sandy soil and
clayey soil. Sandy soil is highly porous having highly permeability. So,
the water quickly percolates down to the soil and crop plants standing
in the sandy soil, are not able to get adequate amount of water. Thus,
crop cultivated in sandy soil need more frequent irrigation of water. On
the other hand, the clayey soil is much less permeable than sandy soil
due to which it can retain water for a much longer time. Thus, crop
cultivated in clayey soil can absorb adequate amount of water. Hence,
the crop grown in a clayey soil need irrigation less frequently.

36. Question

Describe the sprinkler system of irrigation. State its advantages.

Answer
In the sprinkler system of irrigation, a main pipeline is laid in the ield.
The perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to
the main pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to low
through the main pipe under pressure with the help of a pump, it
escapes from the rotating nozzles. It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is
raining.

Advantages of sprinkler system of irrigation:

(i) This system is more useful on the uneven land where suf icient water
is not available.

(ii) This system is also very useful for sandy soil.

37. Question

Explain the drip system of irrigation. State two advantages of the drip
system of irrigation.

Answer

In this system, there is a network of narrow pipes with small holes, in

the ields. When water lows through these pipes, water falls drop by
drop just at the position of the roots. So, it is called drip system. Water
is not wasted at all. It is the best technique for watering fruit plants,
gardens and trees.

Advantages:

(i) Drip system is very useful in those regions where availability of

water is poor.

(ii) Drip system provides water to plants drop by drop. So, water is not
wasted at all.

38. Question

How do the irrigation requirements of a wheat crop differ from that of a

paddy crop ?

Answer

Each crop needs a speci ic amount of water during its various stages of
its growth. The irrigation requirements depend on the nature of crop.
Some crops like need more water whereas other crops require less
water. For example, paddy crop requires continuous irrigation whereas
wheat crop requires less water.

39. Question

Explain why, the frequency of irrigation of crops is higher in summer

season.
Answer

The frequency of irrigation of crops is higher in summer season due to

the increased rate of evaporation of water from the soil and the leaves.

40. Question

How are weeds removed from the crop ields ? Name one implement
used for weeding.

Answer

The removal of weeds from the crop ields is known as weeding. It is

necessary process as weed competes with the crop plants for water,
nutrients and space. Farmers adopt many ways to remove weeds and
control their growth. The various ways by which weeds are removed
from the crop ields are-

(i) With hand – In this method, weeds are removed manually by

uprooting or cutting them close to the ground.

(ii) By using a khurpa – In this method, weeds can be removed by using

a implement called khurpa.

(iii) By using weedicides- Example- 2, 4-D

41. Question

If wheat is sown in the kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.

Answer

If wheat is sown in the kharif season, it will not grow well as plants
cannot tolerate too much water of the rainy season.

42. Question

Which of the following are kharif crops and which are rabi crops ?

Wheat, Paddy, Gram, Maize, Mustard, Cotion, Soyabean, Linseed, Peas,

Groundnut

Answer
43. Question

What is a crop? Give two examples of crops.

Answer

When plants of the same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on
a large scale, it is called a crop. Examples- Wheat and Maize.

44. Question

What are the two types of crops based on seasons ? Give one e ample of
each type.

Answer

Based on seasons, all crops are classi ied into two main groups:

(i) Kharif crops- The crops which are sown in the rainy season are
called kharif crops. Example- paddy, maize.
(ii) Rabi crops – The crops grown in winter season are called rabi crops.
Examples- wheat, gram, etc.

45. Question

Name the various agricultural practices in the right sequence in which

they are undertaken by the farmers.

Answer

The various agricultural practices which they are undertaken by the

farmers are:

(i) Preparation of soil

(ii) Sowing

(iii) Adding manure and fertilisers

(iv) Irrigation

(v) Protecting from weeds

(vi) Harvesting

(vii) Storage

46. Question

Describe brie ly, how soil is prepared for sowing the seeds.

Answer

The preparation of soil is the irst step before growing a crop. The soil is
prepared for sowing the seeds of crop by ploughing, levelling and
manuring. The process of loosening and turning the soil is called
ploughing. It is done by using a tool called plough. It is made up of wood
or iron. One of the important task in agriculture is to turn the soil and
loosen it. It allows the roots to penetrate deep into the soil so that
plants are held more irmly to the soil. The ploughed ield may have big
pieces of soil called crumbs. It is necessary to break these crumbs with
a plank. The levelling of ploughed soil is done by using an implement
called leveller. Sometimes, manure is added to the soil before tilling.
This helps in proper

mixing of manure with soil. Once the soil is ploughed, levelled and
manured, it is ready for sowing of seeds.

47. Question

Why do farmers carry out levelling of the ploughed ields?

Answer
Top layer of soil supports plant growth. It gets loss due to ploughing
because of which it can easily washed away by rain or blown away by
wind. So, ploughed soil is levelled by pressing it with a wooden leveller,
so that top soil is not blown away by wind or washed away by water.

48. Question

What are the advantages of sowing seeds. with a seed drill?

Answer

Following are the advantages of sowing seeds with a seed drill:

(i) Seed drill sows the seeds uniformly at proper distance and correct
depths.

(ii) It sows the seeds in regular rows.

(iii) It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing as a result
of which seeds cannot be picked by birds

(iv) Sowing by using a tractor joined with seed drill saves time and
labor.

49. Question

Explain why, the seeds should be sown at right spacings.

Answer

Seeds should be sown at right spacings. They should be neigher sown

too close nor too far apart. If seeds are placed too close, then plants
formed form them will be also too close and will not get enough
sunlight, water and nutrients to grow. On the other hand, if seeds are
placed too far, then it will be a wastage of ield space. Thus, the seeds
should be sown at right spacing to proper growth.

50. Question

What is ploughing (or tilling)? Name any two implements used for
tilling the ields.

Answer

The process of loosening and turning the soil is called ploughing or

tilling. The agricultural implements used for tilling (loosening and
turning) the soil are plough and hoe.

51. Question

State two bene icial effects of -ploughing the ields (or loosening and
turning the soil).
Answer

Loosening and turning the soil is very important for cultivation of

crops. The loosening and turning the soil by ploughing is bene icial
because of the following reasons:

(i) The loose soil allows the roots to breathe easily even when they go
deep into the soil.

(ii) The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes
present in the soil.

52 A. Question

State the function of Food Corporation of India.

Answer

The government agency like food corporation of India (FCI) buy food
grains from farmers and storing them properly so that they can be
supplied throughout the country.

52 B. Question

What is done to protect tile grains stored in gunny bags in big go downs
from damage ?

Answer

Pesticide solution are sprayed on the gunny bags in big go downs from
time to time to protect the grains from damage.

53. Question

De ine manure. What are the advantages of manure ?

Answer

Manure is an organic substance obtained by the decomposition of

plants or animals wastes.

Advantages of manure:

● it enhances the water holding capacity of the soil.

● it makes the soil porous due to which exchange of gases becomes

easy.

● it increases the number of friendly microbes.

● it improves the texture of the soil

54. Question
What is a fertilizer ? Name any two fertilizers. State two harmful effects
caused by the excessive use of fertilizers.

Answer

Fertilisers are chemical substances which are rich in a particular

nutrient. Some examples of fertilizers are urea, potash, NPK (nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium), etc.

Harmful effects caused by the excessive use of fertilizers are-

(i) Excessive use of fertilizers makes the soil less fertile.

(ii) Excessive use of fertilizers causes water pollution.

55. Question

Explain how, soil gets affected by the repeated growing of croping the
same ields. How does use of fertilizers help the farmers ?

Answer

Plants require nutrients for their proper growth and functioning. If

continuous plantation of crops is done in the ields then the soil will
become poor in necessary nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus,
potassium, etc. This affect the yield and also affects the quality of soil.
So, the nutrients once consumed by crop must be replenished so that
soil get all its nutrients back and it will be ready for the next harvest.

Fertilizers help the farmers to get better yield of crops such as wheat,
paddy and maize.

56. Question

What is weeding? Why is weeding necessary ?

Answer

The removal of weeds is called weeding. Weeding is necessary since

weeds compete with the crop plants for water, nutrients, space and
light. Thus, they affect the growth of the crop. Some weeds interfere
even in harvesting and may be poisonous for animals and human beings.

57. Question

What are weedicides? Name one weedicide.

Answer

Weedicides are special chemicals which are used to control weeds. 2,4-
D is an example of weedicide.

58. Question
What precaution should be taken while spraying weedicides ? Why

Answer

Weedicides affects the health of farmer. So, weedicides should be used

vary carefully. During spraying of weedicides, the nose and mouth of
farmer should be covered with a piece of cloth.

59. Question

Give any four differences between manures and fertilizers.

Answer

Differences between manures and fertilizers:

60. Question

De ine the terms:

(i) harvesting,

(ii) threshing, and (iii) winnowing.

Answer

(i) Harvesting: The cutting and gathering of mature food crop like wheat
or paddy is known as harvesting.

(ii) Threshing: The process of removal of the grains of harvested crop

from the chaff is called threshing.

(iii) Winnowing: The process in which grains are separated from chaff
with the help of wind is called winnowing.

61 A. Question

What are the two ways in which food grains are stored on a large scale?

Answer
Food grains are stored on a large scale in silos and granaries (gunny
bags).

61 B. Question

What is the advantage of storing food grains in gunny bags?

Answer

The advantage of storing food grains in gunny bags is that food grains
illed in gunny bags can be easily transported and distributed at various
parts of country.

62. Question

Name two traditional methods of irrigation and two modem methods of

irrigation.

Answer

Traditional methods of irrigation are chain pump and dhekli.

Modern methods of irrigation are sprinkler and drip system.

63. Question

What is a 'combine' which is used in agriculture ? State its functions.

Answer

The process of threshing is done with the help of a machine called

combine. It is in fact a combined harvester and thresher.

Combine separates the grains from chaff.

64. Question

What is ‘animal husbandry'?

Answer

The branch of agriculture which deals with feeding, shelter, health and
breeding of domestic animals is called animal husbandry.

65. Question

What are the various practices necessary for raising animals for food
and Other purposes.

Answer

The various practices necessary for raising animals for food and Other
purposes are:
● Proper food of animals,

● Proper shelter of animals, and

● Proper care of animals.

Long Answer Type Questions

66 A. Question

What is meant by kharif crops ? Give two examples of kharif crops.

Answer

Kharif crops- The crops which are sown in the rainy season are called
kharif crops. The rainy season in India is generally from June to
September. Example- paddy, maize.

66 B. Question

What is meant by rabi crops ? Give two examples of rabi crops.

Answer

Rabi crops – The crops grown in winter season are called rabi crops.
The winter season in India is generally from October to March.
Examples- wheat, gram, etc.

67 A. Question

What is meant by 'sowing'? What are the various methods of sowing the
seeds?

Answer

Sowing is the process of putting the seeds in the soil. There are two
methods of sowing the seeds in the soil. These are-

(i) Sowing by hand, and (ii) Sowing with a sand drill.

67 B. Question

What precautions should be taken in sowing the seeds?

Answer

Following precautions should be taken while sowing the seeds in the

soil:

(i) The seeds should be sown at right depth in the soil suitable for
germination.

(ii) The seeds should be sown at proper spacing.

(iii) The seeds should not be sown in highly wet soil.

(iv) The seeds should not be sown in a dry soil.

68. Question

What are good quality seeds? You are given a sample of wheat seeds.
How will you select good, healthy seeds for sowing ?

Answer

Good quality seeds basically mean the most competent seeds, which
will de initely give rise to a healthy plant, which would bear more
healthy seeds. This is important when you're dealing with plants at a
large scale, and you need to maintain crops for a large time frame.

Best wheat seeds would be ones who's color, shape and size are normal
(not brownish, oddly shaped, tiny or bloated). Apart from just the looks,
seeds are also tested for their ef iciency in germination (how many
seeds from set of 100 would grow in plants when sowed).

69 A. Question

What is the process of 'transplantation' in agriculture? Give examples of

two crops which are usually grown by this process.

Answer

The process of transferring the seedlings from the nursery to the main
ield by hand is called transplanting or transplantation. Some crops like
paddy and many vegetables, the seeds are not directly sown in the
ield’s soil. In these crop, initially the seeds are sown in the small
nursery to obtain seedlings. Seedlings are then transplanted into the
regular ields placing them at a proper distance from one another.

The practice of transplantation is used in the cultivation of paddy crop

and many vegetables like tomatoes and chillies.

69 B. Question

State two advantages of the process of transplantation in growing crops.

Answer

Advantages of transplantation in growing crops:

(i) The process of transplantation helps in planting seedling at a proper

distance from one another so that plants can get obtain adequate
amount of water, nutrients and sunlight.

(ii) The process of transplantation helps to select only healthy seedlings

for the cultivation of crops.
70 A. Question

What is irrigation? Why is irrigation necessary?

Answer

The supply of water to crops at right time is called irrigation. All the
crop plants need water for their growth. Water is important for proper
growth and development of lowers, fruits and seeds of plants.

Irrigation is necessary for the absorption of nutrients by plants from

the soil. Water is absorbed by the plant roots. Along with water,
minerals and fertilizers are also absorbed.

Irrigation is necessary to provide moisture for gemination of seeds

because germination of seeds does not take place under dry conditions.

Irrigation is also necessary for healthy crop growth so as to get good

yield. Nutrients dissolved in water get transported to each part of the
plant. Water also protects the crop from both frost and hot air currents.

70 B. Question

Name the various sources of irrigation in our country.

Answer

The various sources of irrigation in our country are- wells, tubewells,

ponds, lakes, rivers, dams and canals.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

71. Question

Which of the following crops would enrich the soil with nitrogen?

A. apple

B. pea

C. paddy

D. potato

Answer

The nitrogen- ixing bacteria present in root nodules of leguminous

plants is rhizobium bacteria. Rotation of crops (leguminous and non-
leguminous crops) in the same ield replenishes the soil with nitrogen
naturally and increases the soil fertility.

72. Question