CLASS VIII

FOOD PRODUCTION
Q1. State the beneficial effects of ploughing the fields.
Ans.(i) Ploughing loosens the soil and creates air spaces.
(ii) It helps the soil retain moisture.
(iii) The roots of plants can penetrate loose soil more easily.
(iv) Microorganisms, which recycle nutrients, also thrive better in loose soil.
(v) It is easier to mix manure and fertilizers into loose soil.
Q2. Why is leveling done in the crop field?
Ans. Leveling packs in loose soil and prevents soil erosion.
It helps to distribute water evenly over the field.
Q3. Why do we use seed drill for sowing?
Ans. Seeds are sown (i) at the right depth, and (ii) at right intervals.
Q4. Define broadcasting.
Ans. When the seeds are scattered over the field by hand is called broadcasting.
Q5. What is the process of ‘transplantation’ in agriculture? Give examples of two crops which are usually
grown by this process.
Ans. When the seedlings are grown in the nursery for the few weeks and then transplanted on the farms for
further growth of crops, it is defined as the transplantation. Examples, rice, tomato, onion, chilli
Q6. What are root nodules? How are they useful?
Ans. Root nodules are the swellings that are found in the roots of leguminous plants. These nodules are formed
by nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in leguminous roots.
These nodules help in converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds that could be used by plants.
Q7. Explain how, soil gets affected by the repeated growing of crops in the same field. How does use of
fertilizers help the farmers?
Ans. If we grow the same crop in the same field season after season, the soil becomes deficient in the set of
nutrients needed by the crop. Fertilisers are very rich in plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
and regain the fertility of soil.
Q8. Justify the use of manure highlighting two of its advantages.
Ans. (i) improves the structure of the soil, (ii) making it hold water and aerating it.
Q9. Mention two drawbacks of excessive use of fertilizers.
Ans. (i) Overuse can harm soil fertility by making it too acidic or alkaline.
(ii) Accumulation of fertilisers in water bodies causes eutrophication.
Q10. Why crop rotation is considered a good agricultural practice?
Ans. Different crops have different nutrient requirements. If we grow the same crop in the same field season
after season, the soil becomes deficient in the set of nutrients needed by the crop. It is better to grow one crop in
one season and another crop in the next season.
Q11. Why are pulses alternated with crops like wheat or paddy?
Ans. Pulses and cereal crops have different nutrient requirements. If we grow the same crop in the same field
season after season, the soil becomes deficient in the set of nutrients needed by the crop.
Q12. In what way is green manure different from compost?
Ans. (i) Green manure is prepared in the field while compost is prepared away from the field.
(ii) Green manure does not contain any contaminant of sewage and other ingredients of composting.
(iii) Green manure is richer in nitrogen as it is generally prepared from leguminous plants.
Q13. What are the three main types of nutrients present in fertilizers?
Ans. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium
Q14. Name a few chemical fertilizers.
Ans. Urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK
Q15. What is eutrophication?
Ans. Excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to run-off from the land,
which causes a dense growth of plant life is called eutrophication.
Q16. Define water-logging and salinisation.
Ans. (i) Water-logging-It is the saturation of the soil by groundwater sufficient to prevent agriculture.
(ii) Salinisation- It is the accumulation of soluble salts of sodium, magnesium and calcium in soil to the
extent that soil fertility is severely reduced.
Q17. What are the traditional methods of irrigation?
Ans. (i) moat (pulley system)
(ii) chain pump
(iii) dhekli
(iv) rahat
Q18.What are the advantages of modern methods of irrigation over traditional methods of irrigation?
Ans. There is lot of demands of water in traditional methods while in modern methods; they are basically
preferred in low water availability areas.
Traditional methods fail in areas like mountains & hilly regions whether modern methods are easy to serve
water in all corners. Modern irrigation methods should useful in high or low elevation.
Overcomes like over flooding & over irrigation in traditional methods can be neglected in modern methods.
In poor draining conditions, farmers must prefer to modern irrigation techniques.
All modern methods are designed & operate mainly on principle of Use less & utilize both water & expense, get
maximum yield.
Q19, Name and explain the two modes of surface irrigation?
Ans. Furrow irrigation and basin irrigation
In the case of crops which do not need too much water, the crop is planted on ridges and water is allowed to
run through furrow between the ridges. This is called furrow irrigation.
For crops like rice, which need a lot of water, the field is flooded with water by making bunds all around it.
This is called basin irrigation.
Q20. What is the difference between drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation?
Ans. • Dripping valves are present in drip system while spray guns and nozzles are used in sprinkler system.
• Only the root area is wetted by drip irrigation, whereas one sprinkler wets an area of a circle, which covers a
number of plants. Therefore, most of the area in a given field will be wetted by this system.
• Drip irrigation prevents the spreading of diseases that caused by contact of water, whereas sprinkler system
does not.
• Run off and evaporation is higher in sprinkler method than drip irrigation. Ultimately, the effectiveness and
efficiency is higher in drip irrigation than sprinkler.
Q21. What are the advantages and disadvantages of drip irrigation?
Ans. Advantages of Drip Irrigation:
1. Maximum use of available water.
2. No water being available to weeds.
3. Maximum crop yield.
4. High efficiency in the use of fertilizers.
5. No soil erosion.
6. No runoff of fertilizers into ground water.
7. Less evaporation losses of water as compared to surface irrigation.

Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation:

1. Sensitivity to clogging
2. Moisture distribution problem.
3. Salinity hazards
4. High cost compared to furrow.
5. High skill is required for design, install and operation.
Q22. What are the advantages and disadvantages of sprinkler irrigation?
Ans. The main advantages of sprinkler irrigation,
1. Expansive land leveling is not required.
2. High efficiency due to uniform water distribution.
3. Ease and uniform application of fertilizers and pesticides through irrigation system.
4. Soil moisture is maintained at optimum level by sprinkler irrigation.
There are certain disadvantages of sprinkler system.
1. Higher initial cost.
2.High and continuous energy requirement for operation.
3. Loss of water due to evaporation from the area during irrigation.
4. Above canopy sprinkling may cause washing of spray materials and increase the incidence of pests and
diseases.
Q23. What are the two biological methods to control the weeds?
Ans. 1. One way is to use the natural enemies of weeds and pests to kill them.
2. Another way is to develop disease-resistant varieties of crops.
Q. What are weeds?
Ans. Unwanted plants which grow along with crops are called weeds.
Q24. List any two reasons due to which it is essential to remove weeds during early stage of crop growth.
Ans. Weeds compete with the crop plants for light, water, space and minerals, and harm their growth and yield.
Some of them produce poisonous substances which can harm the growth of the crop or poison the produce.
Q25.Name a few weeds found in wheat and rice.
Ans. Some of the common weeds found in Wheat and rice are:
(i) Wild oats, (ii) grass (ghass), (iii) Amaranthus (Chaulai), (iv) Chenopodium (bathua)
Q26.Mention any two methods by which weed growth can be controlled.
Ans. 1. Weeding can be done manually or by using an implement like a trowel, hoe or rake.
2. Another way of getting rid of weeds is by spraying chemicals called weedicides.
Q27. Which is the best time for the removal of weeds from the field?
Ans. The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and fruits.
Q28. Name a few common weedicides.
Ans. Common weedicides are 2, 4-D, MCPA, Butachlor
Q29. What are the immediate effects of weedicides and pesticides on human beings?
Ans. Weedicides and pesticides are poisonous. The immediate effects on human beings include irritation of the
skin and the respiratory tract.
Q30. Why is biological control better than using weedicides and pesticides?
Ans. Biologically controlling weeds is better than using pesticides because, by controlling weeds biologically,
there is no harm for the crops or surroundings but there is benefit that crops would get sufficient nutrients as it
won’t be absorbed up by undesired plants, weeds. But, if pesticides are used to destroy these unwanted plants,
weeds or other insects, it is harmful for the crops which will adversely affect our health if crop is edible; it
exhausts soil fertility thus causing soil pollution.lt can also cause water pollution indirectly. Thus biologically
controlling weeds is better than using pesticides.
Q31. What is the difference between harvesting and threshing? What does combine do?
Ans. The process of cutting and gathering a crop is called harvesting. Threshing is the process of separation of
grain from the stalk on which it develops and from the chaff or unit that covers it.
The modern combine harvester, or simply combine, derives its name as it combines three separate harvesting
operations—reaping, threshing, and winnowing—into a single process.
Q32. Differentiate between threshing and winnowing.
Ans. Threshing- The process of beating out the grains from the harvested crop plants is called threshing.
Winnowing- The process of separating grain from chaff and hay with the help of wind is called
winnowing.
Q33. What are the two things that have to be controlled in the cold storage?
Ans. Temperature and humidity
Q34. What is buffer stock?
Ans. Grains stocked for emergencies such as floods, drought or disease is called buffer stock
Q35.State the temperature maintained in a cold storage.
Ans. Between 00C and 40C
Q36. Differentiate between fumigation and spraying.
Ans.
Fumigation Spraying
It is the process of using the The dispersion of fungicides or
vapours of a chemical to get rid of insecticides with the help of hand-
pests and infections. operated machines.
Fumigation is the most effective Spraying is done inside the
method for checking the growth storage structure before arrival of
of insects in stored grain. It kills fresh stock. This is done for
the insect without affecting the disinfecting the storage structure.
grain.
Ethylene dibromide and Chemicals used are malathion or
aluminium phosphide are used as pyrethrum
fumigants.