Chapter 4- Agriculture Notes

Q.1.Discuss in detail about the cropping pa ern/seasons in India.

Ans. India has three cropping seasons — rabi, kharif and zaid.

Rabi crops

1.They are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer
from April to June.

2.Some of the important rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.

3.Important areas - Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,

U arakhand and U ar Pradesh are important for the produc on of wheat and
other rabi crops.

4. Availability of precipita on during winter months due to the western temperate

cyclones helps in the success of these crops.

5.The success of the green revolu on in Punjab, Haryana, western U ar Pradesh

and parts of Rajasthan has also been an important factor in the growth of rabi
crops.

Kharif crops

1.They are grown with the onset of monsoon in di erent parts of the country and
these are harvested in September-October.

2. Important crops grown during this season are paddy, maize, jowar, bajra, tur
(arhar), moong, urad, co on, jute, groundnut and soyabean.

3.Important areas-Some of the most important ricegrowing regions are Assam,

West Bengal, coastal regions of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala and Maharashtra, par cularly the (Konkan coast) along with U ar Pradesh
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 and Bihar. Recently, paddy has also become an important crop of Punjab and
Haryana.

4. In states like Assam, West Bengal and Odisha, three crops of paddy are grown in
a year. These are Aus, Aman and Boro.

Zaid crops

1.In between the rabi and the kharif seasons, there is a short season during the
summer months known as the Zaid season.

2. Some of the crops produced during ‘zaid’ are watermelon, muskmelon,

cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops. Sugarcane takes almost a year to grow.

Q.2.Discuss in detail the various importance of pulses and also men on 6 pulses
grown in India.

Ans. 1.India is the largest producer as well as the consumer of pulses in the world.
These are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet.

2. Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry condi ons.

3.Being leguminous crops, all these crops except arhar help in restoring soil
fer lity by xing nitrogen from the air. Therefore, these are mostly grown in
rota on with other crops.

4. Major pulse producing states in India are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,

Maharashtra, U ar Pradesh and Karnataka.

5.Major pulses that are grown in India are tur (arhar), urad, moong, masur, peas
and gram

Q.3. Name the movements started by Vinoba Bhave, known as Blood-

less revolution?
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Ans.The Bhoodan – Gramdan movements started by Vinoba Bhave are
known as Blood – less revolution.

Q.4. Name the four fibre crops grown in India. Which one of them is not
obtained directly from the crops ? What is the name given to the process
involved in its production ? What is sericulture ?
Ans.1.Four fibre crops grown in India are cotton, jute, hemp and natural
silk.

2.The first three i.e., cotton, jute and hemp are derived from the crops
grown in the soil. Natural silk is obtained from the cocoons of the silkworms
fed of green leaves specially mulberry.

3.Sericulture : Rearing of silk worms for the production of silk fiber is

known as sericulture.

Q.5.Distinguish between primitive subsistence farming and intensive

subsistence farming.
Ans. Primitive subsistence farming

(i) It is practised on small patches of land with the help of primitive tools
such as hoe, dao and digging sticks.

(ii) Land productivity in this type of farming is low as the farmer does not
use fertilisers or other modern inputs.

(iii) There is no pressure on agricultural land. When the soil fertility

decreases, the farmers shift to fresh patch of land for cultivation.

Intensive subsistence farming

(i) It is practised on bigger land size with the help of modern tools and
irrigation.
(ii) Land productivity in this type of farming is very high as the farmer uses
high doses of biochemical inputs.

(iii) There is enormous pressure on agricultural land. Farmers have no

option to shift to another patch of land.
 Q.6. Distinguish between Subsistence farming and Commercial
farming.

Ans. Subsistence farming:

(i) Farming prac ces in which the en re crops are consumed by the farmers
and their family. They do not have any surplus to sell in the market.

(ii) Farms are small and fragmented.

(iii) food crops are cul vated mostly are cereals like rice and wheat along with
oil seeds, vegetables and sugarcane.

(iv) Old tools and implements are used by the farmers. There is a total absence of
modern equipments like tractors and farm inputs like chemical fer lizers,
insec cides and pes cides.

(v) Depends on monsoon and there is greater use of manpower.

Commercial farming:

(i)In this Farming prac ce most of the goods produced are mainly sold in the
market for earning money.

(ii) Landholdings are large and cash crops are cul vated to earn money from
them.

(iii) Major commercial crops grown in di erent parts of India are co on, jute,
sugarcane groundnut.

(iv) In this type of farming, farmers use inputs like irriga on, chemical
fer lizers, insec cides, pes cides and high yielding varie es of seeds be er.

(v) By the use of modern equipments like tractors e.tc .less manpower is used.
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Q.7.What geographical condi ons are required for the cul va on of sugarcane?
Name two largest producing states of sugarcane.

Ans (i) Temperature : Sugarcane needs hot and humid climate with temperature
ranging between 21°C to 27°C. Very high temperature is harmful for its growth,
while low temperature slows its growth. It cannot withstand frost. Cool
temperature is needed at the me of ripening.

(ii) Rainfall : It grows best in areas receiving 75 cm to 100 cm of rainfall. Too heavy
rainfall results in low sugar content.

(iii) Soil : Sugarcane grows on well-drained fer le soil. It can grow on a variety of
soils including black, alluvial, loamy and reddish loam. Sugarcane : But the best
soil is the alluvial soil of the Ganga Plain and the black soil of southern India.
Sugarcane exhausts the fer lity of the soil. Hence, the use of manure is essen al
to ensure high yields.

Areas of Produc on : U ar Pradesh is the largest producer of sugarcane. The

other states in the Ganga-Plain are Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.

Q.8.. Name any four oilseeds produced in India. What is their economic
importance Or Name any four oilseeds produced in India.

Answer: Main oilseeds produced in India are : (i) Groundnut (ii) Mustard (iii)
Coconut (iv) Sesamum

Economic importance of oilseeds : (i) Most of these are edible, and used as a
cooking medium in the form of oil.

(ii) Extracted oil is also used as raw material for manufacturing large number of
items like paints, varnishes, hydrogenated oil, soaps, perfumes, lubricants, etc.

(iii) Oil cake which is the by product, obtained a er the extrac on of oil from
oilseeds is an excellent ca le feed.

(iv) Oil cake is also used as a fer lisers.

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 Q.9. What are the factors responsible for the backwardness of Indian
agriculture Or Describe any four features of agriculture in India.

] Answer: (I) Over dependence on monsoon : Major por on of the cropped area
s ll depends upon monsoons for irriga on. Only one- third of the cropped area is
under assured irriga on.

(ii) Subsistence agriculture

(iii) Small and sca ered land holding : Due to the increasing popula on, the per
hectare availability of land is very low. The Jand holding is also sca ered.

(iv) Lack of inputs : Most of the farmers are poor so they do not use fer lisers and
high yielding varie es of seeds.

Q.10 Which is the staple crop for the majority of the people
in India? What are the Geographical conditions required for
its growth? Name the major areas of its production.

Ans.

1. Introduction: Rice is the staple food crop of the majority of the

population.
2. Climate: Paddy is a tropical crop and grows well in the wet
monsoon.
3. Temperature: Above 25o C, coupled with heavy humidity.
4. Rainfall: It requires an annual rainfall above 100 cm. It requires
heavy rainfall in summer and irrigation in areas of less rainfall.
5. Areas of Cultivation: Rice is grown in the plains of north and north-
eastern India, coastal areas and the deltaic region. Development of
the dense network of canal irrigation and tube wells have made it
possible to grow rice in areas of less rainfall such as Punjab,
Haryana and Western U.P.
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Q.11 Which is the second most important cereal crop?
What are the Geographical conditions required for its
growth? Name the major areas of its production.Ans.

1. Introduction: Wheat is the second most important cereal crop. It is

Rabi Crop. It is the main food crop, in north and north-western
parts of the country.
2. Soil Type: Alluvial soil and black soil
3. Temperature: Cool growing season and bright sunshine at the time
of ripening.
4. Rainfall: 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the
growing season.
5. Areas of Cultivation: There are two prominent wheat growing zones
in the country-the Ganga-Sutlej plain in the north-west and black
soil region of Deccan. Wheat producing states are Punjab, Haryana,
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and certain parts of Madhya
Pradesh.
Q.12.What are millets and why are they called coarse grains.

Ans. Jowar, Bajra and ragi are the important millets grown in India.
These are known as coarse grains because they have very high
nutritional value and generally consumed by rural people.

Q.13. Explain the favourable temperature, rainfall and soil

conditions required for the growth of tea. Name the leading
tea producing states.

Ans.

1. Introduction: Tea is the main beverage crop. India is the leading

producer and exporter of tea in the world.
2. Climate: Tea plants grow well in tropical and subtropical climate.
Tea thrives well in a hot and humid climate.
3. Soil Type: The soil requirement is deep fertile well-drained soil
which is rich in humus and organic matter.
4. Temperature: Ideal temperature for the growth is 20o C to 30o
5. Rainfall: 150 to 300 cm annual rainfall is required. High humidity
and frequent showers evenly distributed throughout the year are
good for the rapid development of tender leaves.
Main tea producing states Assam and West Bengal.

Q.14. Explain the favourable temperature, rainfall and soil

conditions required for the growth of coffee. Name the
leading Coffee producing states.

Ans.

1. Introduction: It is the second most important beverage crop of

India. Indian coffee is known for its quality and is hence in great
demand all over the world. The variety produced in India is Arabica
variety which was initially brought from Yemen.
2. Climate: It requires hot and humid climatic conditions for growth.
3. Soil Type: The soil requirement is deep fertile well-drained soil
which is rich in humus and organic matter.
4. Temperature: 15o C and 28o
5. Rainfall: rainfall 50 to 200 cm annually
6. Areas of Cultivation: Its cultivation was initiated on Baba Buden
hills and is today confined to the Nilgiri in Karnataka Kerala and
Tamil Nadu.
Q.15 What are the four important fibre crops of India?
Describe any one of them.

Ans. four important fibre crops of India are Cotton, Jute, Hemp and
Natural silk.

Cotton:-
1. India is the third largest producer of cotton in the world.
2. Cotton grows well in the drier parts of the black cotton soil of the
Deccan plateau.
3. It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210-frost-
free days and bright sunshine for its growth.
4. It is Kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
5. Major Cotton producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab,
Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Q.16. Name the crop which is used both as food and
fodder? What are the Geographical conditions required for
its growth? Name the major areas of its production?

Ans.

1. Maize is a crop which is used both as food and fodder. It is a Kharif

crop.
2. Climate: 140 frost free days
3. Soil Type: It grows well in old alluvial soil.
4. Temperature: It requires temperature between 21o C to 27o C .
5. Rainfall: annual rainfall between 60 to 120 cm
6. Areas of Cultivation: In some states like Bihar maize is grown in
Rabi season also. Use of modern inputs such as HYV seeds,
fertilizers and irrigation have contributed to the increased
production of maize. Major maize producing states are Karnataka,
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.