CHAPTER-1

CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

1. Why do we have to eat food?

Food provides us with
 Energy for carrying out various body functions.
 Growth and repair of damaged tissues.
 Protection against diseases.

2. How can we provide food to a large number of people in our country?

Food has to be produced on large scale. To provide food for a large population
 regular production
 proper management and
 distribution is necessary.

3. Define crop.
When plants of the same kind of cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a
crop.

4. Based on the season in which the crops grow, explain the two broad cropping patterns
Based on the season in which the crops grow, the two broad cropping patterns.
A.).Kharif crops: are grown during summer/rainy season between June/July and harvested by
September/ October. Rice, groundnut, maize, cotton, pulses are some common examples of
kharif crops.
B.)Rabi crops : are grown in the winter between October/November and harvested by march or
April. Wheat, barley, mustard, potato and peas are some common examples of rabi crops.

5. Differences Between
 6. Define the term “agricultural practices”. List the various agricultural practices.
Cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers over a period of time.
These activities or tasks are referred to as agricultural practices
o preparation of soil
o sowing
o adding manure and fertilizers
o irrigation
o protecting from weeds
o harvesting
o storage

7. What is ploughing or tilling? State its advantages.

The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing. This is done by
using a plough.
Advantages:
 Allows the roots to penetrate deep into the soil. Roots can breathe easily because
loosening of soil creates air spaces between the soil particles, makes it aerated.
 Helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes present in the soil. These organisms
further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to it.
 Soil contains minerals, water, air and some living organisms. Dead plants and animals
get decomposed by soil organisms. Various nutrients in the dead organisms are released
back into the soil. Soil needs to be turned and loosened so that nutrients are again
absorbed by the plants.
  Since only a few centimeters of top layer of soil supports plant growth, turning and
loosening of soil brings the nutrient rich soil to the top so that plants can use these
nutrients.
 It increases the water holding capacity of soil.

8. What are the advantages of levelling?

Levelling in the field is beneficial for sowing as well as irrigation. Levelling helps to prevent soil
erosion caused by wind or air.

9. Write a short note on plough and hoe. Draw diagram.

a. Plough:
 It is used for tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to the crop, removing the
weeds and turning the soil.
 It is made of wood and is drawn by a pair of bulls or other animals.
 It contains a strong triangular iron strip called ploughshare.
 The main part of the plough is a long log of wood which is called
ploughshaft
 The other end is attached to the beam which is placed on the bull's neck.
 One pair of bulls and a man can easily operate a plough.

b. Hoe:
 It is used for removing weeds and for loosening soil.
 It has a long log of wood or iron.
 A strong, broad and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works like a blade.
 It is pulled by animals.
10. What are good quality seeds?
Good quality seeds are
 clean
 healthy
 of a good variety

11. What are advantages of seed drill used for sowing?

Ans: Advantages of seed drill are:
 It is used for sowing seeds with help of tractors.
 This sows the seeds uniformly at equal distances and depth.
 It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing. This protects seeds
from being eaten by birds.
 Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and labour.

12. Write a note on the methods for sowing seeds along with their advantages ?
Ans: There are different methods of sowing which are explained as follows:
Traditional tool:
The traditional tool shape is like a funnel. The seeds are filled into the funnel which
passes down through pipes having sharp ends. These sharp ends pierce into the soil and
put seeds there.
Broad Casting:
It is a method in which seeds are sown manually directly by scattering in soil.
Disadvantage of this method is that it leads to unequal distribution of seeds and
thereby reduces crop yield.
Seed drill:
In a seed drill, an iron funnel is placed at the top. Seeds are put in the funnel and then
released in soil furrows. The advantage of this method is that it saves time and seeds
are sown at right depth.
Transplantation:
Transplantation is the procedure of transferring a fully grown seedling (or mature plant)
and replanting it in a stable location for the growing season.
In this method, seeds are sown first in nurseries, and then the seedlings are transferred
to the main field. For example: Paddy.
 13. Why do some plants grow better than others?
or
Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.
 Soil supplies mineral nutrients to the crop plants. These nutrients are essential for the
growth of plants. In certain areas, farmers grow crop after crop in the same field. The
field is never left uncultivated or fallow.
 Continuous cultivation of crops makes the soil poor in nutrients.
 Insufficient nutrients in soil result in weak plants.

14. List the methods of replenishing the soil with nutrients

Methods of replenishing the soil with nutrients
 Adding Manure
 Adding Fertilisers
 Crop rotation.

15. What is manure?

a. Manure is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or
animal wastes. Farmers dump plant and animal waste in pits at open places and
allow it to decompose. The decomposition is caused by some microorganisms.
The decomposed matter is used as organic manure. Vermicomposting is a
process where decomposition of biodegradable waste is done by using
earthworms.
b. The use of manure improves soil texture as well as its water retaining capacity. It
replenishes the soil with nutrients.

16. What are Fertilizers?

 Fertilizers are chemicals which are rich in a particular nutrient.
 Fertilisers are produced in factories. Some examples of fertilisers are— urea, ammonium
sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).
 Fertilizers have helped farmers to get better yield of crops.
 Excessive use of fertilizers has made the soil less fertile. Fertilizers have also become a
source of water pollution.

17. Differentiate between manure and fertilizers.

Ans:
MANURE
1.It is a natural substance obtained by
the decomposition of cattle dung and
plant residues.
2. It can be prepared in the fields and
its action is slow.
3. Manure provides a lot of humus to
FERTILZERS
1. It is a man made inorganic salt.
2. It can be prepared in the factories
and its action is fast.
3. It does not provide any humus to
 the soil. the soil.
4. It provides all the essential nutrients 4. Fertilizers provide specific or
to the soil. required nutrients to the soil.eg.
potassium, nitrogen etc.

18. How can nitrogen be replenished in soil naturally?

Or
Write a note on crop rotation.
a. Crop rotation involves planting a sequence of different kind of crops in a location
over a number of seasons. Rotating crops helps maintain or improve soil health
and maintain or increase the productivity of the farm over time.
b. The pulses, peas, beans, groundnut, gram etc. are leguminous crops. The root
nodules of leguminous plants have nitrogen fixing bacteria called Rhizobium
which can directly convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds.
These nitrogen compounds go into the soil and improves the fertility.
c. When the cereal crops like rice, wheat, maize are grown in the soil, it uses up a
lot of nitrogenous salts from the soil. Thus, planting a leguminous plant will
result in nitrogen rich soil

19. What is irrigation? List four reasons to explain the importance of water to plants.
Irrigation-supply of water to crops at regular intervals
The importance of water to plants.
a. Water is important for proper growth and development. Water is absorbed by
the plant roots. Along with water, minerals and fertilizers are also absorbed.
b. Germination of seeds does not take place under dry conditions.
c. Nutrients dissolved in water are transported to each part of the plant.
d. Water also protects the crop from both frost and hot air currents.

20. List the factors responsible for irrigation.

The time and frequency of irrigation varies from
 crop to crop,
 soil to soil and
 season to season.

21. In summer, the frequency of watering is higher. Why is it so?

Due to the increased rate of evaporation of water from the soil and the leaves through
transpiration.

22. Explain the traditional methods of irrigation?

Ans: Traditional methods of irrigation:
Moat: Water is pulled out from the well and directly supplied to the plants.
Dhekli: In dhekli, buckets are used and then with the help of rope, water is pulled out
from the well.
 Rahat: In this method, buckets are knotted with rope on wheel and then bulls rotate
the handle due to which wheel turned up and then water gets filled into the bucket and
used for different purposes.
Chain pump: In this method, two wheels are used. The one wheel is easily visible and
another wheel at the bottom is slightly dipped into the soil. These two wheels relate to
each other through chain and buckets are joined with wheel. When wheels rotate
buckets get filled and used for different purposes

23. Name the two modern methods of irrigation and explain them briefly. Draw a diagram.
Modern Methods of Irrigation
a. Sprinkler System:
o This system is more useful on the uneven land where sufficient water is not
available.
o The perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to the main
pipeline at regular intervals.
o When water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure with the
help of a pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles.
o It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining.
o Sprinkler is very useful for lawns, coffee plantation and several other crops.

b. Drip system:
o In this system, the waterfalls drop by drop directly near the roots. So, it is called
drip system.
o It is the best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees.
o Water is not wasted at all.
o It is a boon in regions where availability of water is poor.
24. What are weeds?
In a field many other undesirable plants may grow naturally along with the crop. These
undesirable plants are called weeds. Examples of weeds are: Amaranthus, grass, wild
oats.

25. What do you mean by weeding?

The removal of weeds is called weeding.

26. Why the process of weeding necessary?

Weeding is necessary because
 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.
 They may be poisonous for animals and humanbeings.

27. List the methods applied for weeding.

 Tilling before sowing of crops helps in uprooting and killing of weeds, which may
then dry up and get mixed with the soil.
 The best time for the removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and
seeds.
 The manual removal includes physical removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting
them close to the ground, from time to time. This is done with the help of a
khurpi.
 A seed drill is also used to uproot weeds.
 Weeds are also controlled by using certain chemicals, called weedicides, like
2,4-D. These are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds.

28.What is harvesting and how is to be done?

Harvesting: The process of cutting and gathering mature crops from the field with sickle is
called harvesting. The different methods of harvesting are as follows –
1.Threshing
 It is the process of separating grain seeds from chaff. It is carried out manually or with
help of threshers or combine machines.
2.Winnowing
It is the process of separating chaff from grains by blowing wind or air.

29.What is the process of separation of grain from chaff called?

In the harvested crop, the grain seeds need to be separated from the chaff. This
process is called threshing. This is carried out with the help of a machine called
‘combine’ which is in fact a harvester as well as a thresher.
Farmers with small holdings of land do the separation of grain and chaff by winnowing

30.Stubs left in the field after harvesting, are burnt by farmers. Do you agree or disagree
with the farmers? State a reason for your choice.
After harvesting, sometimes stubs are left in the field, which are burnt by farmers.
 It causes pollution.
 It may also catch fire and damage the crops lying in the fields.
31. Why proper storage of crop products is important?
Ans: It is important because of following reasons:
 Storage of harvested and processed plant and animal food products ensures distribution
to consumers.
 It enables a better-balanced diet throughout the year.
 Protection from animals is also ensured. Storage is done in many ways like cold storage,
dry storage.
 Storage is also done for fighting emergency conditions. i.e., flood, drought.

32.What will happen if freshly harvested grains (seeds) are stored without drying?
If freshly harvested grains (seeds) are stored without drying, they may get spoilt or
attacked by organisms, making them unfit for use or for germination. Hence, before
storing them, the grains are properly dried in the sun to reduce the moisture in them.
This prevents the attack by insect pests, bacteria and fungi.
33. How large-scale storage of grains is done?
Large scale storage is done in silos and granaries. Special chemical treatments are
required for storage structures that are airtight, rat proof, can maintain steady
temperature etc.

34.Define animal husbandry.

Animals reared at home or in farms, have to be provided with proper food, shelter and
care. When this is done on a large scale, it is called animal husbandry.

35.Describe the role of animal husbandry in human welfare?

Animal husbandry is beneficial to human beings in following ways:
1. Dairy products: Animals such as cows, goats, sheep etc., are the major source of milk
and milk products.
2. Meat: Animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, goats etc. are reared for their meat as meat
is rich source dietary product.
3. Fibre: Animals also produce fibre or textiles such as wool and leather. For example:
sheep are reared for wool whereas leather obtained from camel
4. Manure: The excreta and bones of animals are used as manure. The manure is spread on
the fields to increase the crop yields and crop production.

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