Class 9 Biology - Improvement In Food Resources

Define poultry.

Poultry is a class of domesticated fowl (birds) used for food and eggs.

What is meant by 'irrigation'? Name the main crops grown under irrigation.

Irrigation is the process of supplying water to the crops artificially to fulfil their water requirements.
Main crops grown under irrigation are Cotton, Maize and Beans.

Planting Soybean and Maize in alternate rows in the same field is called as .

Planting Soybean and Maize in alternate rows in the same field is called as intercropping

If there is low rainfall in a village throughout the year, what measures will you suggest to the farmers for better cropping?

Farmers of low rainfall area will be suggested to
(a) practice farming with drought resistant and early maturing varieties of crops.
(b) to enrich the soil with more humus content as it increases the water holding capacity and retains water for longer duration.

Explain the different cropping patterns.

Cropping patterns : To improve the yield of crops by complete utilization of nutrients and prevent pest control, we should use different cropping patterns which are as follows :
(i) Mixed cropping : It refers to the sowing of two or more different crops together in the same field, e.g., wheat and gram. Wheat crops decrease the fertility of soil on the other hand gram crops support it by fixing atmospheric nitrogen with the help of nitrogen fixing bacteria. By this way of cropping we can save time and labour and improve the fertility of soil. Some of the mixed cropping practices are wheat-mustard, millet + cowpea, cotton + mungbean.
(ii) Intercropping : It is growing of two or more crop simultaneously on the same field in a definite row pattern. It means few rows of one crop and adjoining to that few rows of another crop. By this way of cropping, we may get better yield of both crop e.g., soyabean + maize.
(iii) Crop rotation : If the same crop is grown every year in the same field, then the fertility of the soil decreases. To avoid this situation, we use crop rotation. It stores the fertility of the soil. So crop rotation is the process of growing two or more types of crops alternately in the same field. Based on duration, crop rotation is applied for various crop combination.

Define hybridization.

Explanation -

Hybridization is a process by which only desired type and number of pollen grains are used for fertilization and reproduction.
It involves two steps:
Emasculation:Removal of anther from bisexual flower to prevent self fertilization.
Bagging: Covering emasculated flower to prevent its fetilization from unwanted pollen grains.

Write a short notes on cattle farming.

Cattle farming involves rearing and management of two types of animals- one group for food requirements (like in the dairy industry) and another for labour purposes (draught animals). In cattle farming, the animals are maintained in a strictly hygienic manner with proper housing. Milk production can be enhanced by increasing the lactation period (period after the birth of the calf, when cows start producing milk). However, the quality cannot be compromised so, disease-resistant breeds having higher yield are developed (E.g: Jersey etc.). To maintain high yielding and disease resistant variety of cattle, they must be provided with adequate nutrient-rich fodder in a timely and proper manner. Maintaining the food requirements of the animals is also, therefore, a part of cattle farming.

"The use of manure is better than the use of fertilizers". Mention any two points in support of this statement.

The use of manure is better than the use of fertilizers.
(i) Manure helps in enriching soil with nutrients and organic matter and increasing soil fertility. However, continuous use of fertilizers in an area can destroy soil fertility.
(ii) In using manure, we use biological waste material. Using biological waste material is also a way of recycling waste. Unused fertilizer causes water pollution.

What are the method adopted for retention of water?

Irrigation methods like dams, tanks and canals have been used in various parts of India since ancient times. These were generally local interventions managed by local people and assured that the basic minimum requirements managed by local people and daily needs were met throughout the year. The use ofthis stored water was strictly regulated and the optimum cropping patterns based on water availability werearrivedatonthebasis ofdecades ofexperience. Various local practices and methods like the kulhs in Himachal Pradesh, Khadins, tanks and nadis in Rajasthan, bandharas and tals in Maharashtra, bundhis in Madhya Pradesh, ahars and pynes in Bihar, ponds in Jammu, eris in Tamil Nadu, surangams in. Kerala, kattas in Karnataka, etc. are used in various states of the country.

State the differences between manure and fertilizer.

$$\textbf{Solution:}$$

Differences between Manure and Fertilizer are given below:

Manure	Fertilizer
Manure is an organic material made from decaying plant and animal waste that can be applied to the soil to improve its fertility.	Fertilizer is a man-made or natural substance that can be added to soil to increase fertility and productivity.
Manure provides humus (organic dark fluid) to the soil.	Fertilizers cannot provide humus to the soil.
It is totally environment friendly and does not have any side effects.	It can harm living organisms and the environment by its side effects.
As compared to fertilizers, it is less abundant in plant nutrients.	Fertilizers are abundant in plant nutrients as compared to manure.
Its absorption is slow in plants.	These are rapidly absorbed by the plants.

What attributes of loam soils help make them ideal agricultural soils?

In loam soils, the proportion of sand, silt, and clay results in good drainage as well as high nutrient retention.

What are the different patterns of cropping?

The different patterns of growing crops are mixed cropping, inter-cropping, and crop rotation.

Mixed Cropping: It is a method in which two or more crops are grown simultaneously on the same piece of land, e.g. wheat and mustard, etc. This minimizes the risk of any crop failure and prevents loss.
Inter-cropping: It is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a definite pattern. A few rows of one crop alternate with a few rows of the second crop, e.g. soybean and maize.
Crop rotation: The growing of different crops on a piece of land in a pre-planned succession is known as crop rotation.

The availability of moisture and irrigation facilities decides the choice of crops to be cultivated after one harvest.

What do you mean by animal husbandry? Mention the important aspects of this branch of science.

Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture which deals with the rearing, feeding, breeding, improvement and caring of domesticated animals.
The important aspects of animal husbandry are:
(a) Providing proper shelter to animals
(b) Providing proper food to animals
(c) Taking care of animals against diseases
(d) Using proper breeding technique for breed improvement.

What are the differences between mixed cropping and intercropping?

Mixed cropping	Intercropping
Seeds of two crops are mixed before sowing.	Seeds of two crops are not mixed.
It minimizes the risk of crop failure due to lack of rainfall.	It increases productivity per unit area.

What would happen if poultry birds are larger in size and have no summer adaptation capacity? In order to get small sized poultry birds having summer adaptability, what method will be employed?

Larger sized birds require more feed. Summer adaptation reduces egg laying. In order to obtain small sized poultry birds having summer adaptability, it is desirable to (i) Either introduce the required exotic birds from outside and (ii) cross breed the local birds with exotic birds from outside. Small sized birds are preferred for (a) Lower requirement of feed (b) Higher egg laying capacity (c) Lower requirement for space.

What is irrigation ? Describe two methods of irrigation which conserve water.

Supply of water to crops at appropriate intervals is called Irrigation.
Two methods of irrigation are :
(i) Sprinkler system - Where it sprinkles on the crops as if it is raining.
(ii) Drip system - In this system, the water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots.

These methods of irrigation help in conservation of water in places where the rainfall is less.

What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvement?

Desirable agronomic characteristics are different for different crops.

Cereals should be dwarf, but with large ears. Dwarfness makes their stem stronger. They can withstand strong winds and their nutrient requirement is also less. Large ears produce more grains.
Legumes should have more pods which generally develop in relation to stem branching. Therefore, more branching and good foliage increase their productivity.
Fodder crops meant for feeding cattle must have profuse branching, good foliage, juicy stems and large size.

____________ is done for two purposes, milk and draught labour for agricultural work such as tilling, irrigation and carting.

Cattle Husbandry is done for two purpose milk and draught labour for agricultural work such as tilling, irrigation and carting.

_____ ensures that the crops get water at the right stages during their growing season, which can increase the expected yields of any crop.

Irrigation ensures that the crops get water at the right stages during their growing season, which can increase the expected yields of any crop.
Proper irrigation is very important for the success of crops.
Different kinds of irrigation systems include wells, canals, rivers and tanks.

Water is directly drawn from the rivers for supplementing ___ in areas close to river

Irrigation

What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?

Explanation:

Genetic manipulation is a process where the desired genes are isolated from one organism (plant) and transferred to the other organism (plant) by using the hybridization technique.
Genetic manipulations help in obtaining traits that may not possible naturally in some plants such as dwarfness in cereals, tall and profuse branching in fodder crops. It helps in obtaining a higher yield, resistance to pests, shorter maturity period, resistance to severe environmental conditions such as droughts, high alkalinity, floods etc.

Milk-producing cattle are called ______ animals.

Milch animals are the animals that are kept on farms for the purpose of obtaining milk from them. They serve as the backbone of the dairy industry.
Examples of milk-producing animals include buffaloes, cows, camels, and even goats.

So, the correct answer is milch.

The cattle used for farming are called ________ animals.

The animals used for farming are called draught animals. For example, ox, bull, camel are used as draught animals in India.

Why is irrigation necessary in India?

The geographical conditions, especially the nature of monsoon rainfall, in India make irrigation indispensable for sustainable agricultural development. Unfortunately, rainfall in India is uncertain, unreliable, irregular, variable, seasonal and unevenly distributed. Apart from the vagaries of monsoon rain, there are certain crops such as rice, sugarcane, jute, cotton etc requires more water and have to be provided with irrigation even in areas of heavy rainfall. For all these reasons irrigation is necessary for India.

As a student of Biology how will you explain to farmers that Bee-keeping is simple and economically beneficial for them ?

Beekeeping or apiculture is the rearing, care and management of honey bees for obtaining honey, wax and other substances. It is the practice of maintaining honeybee colonies, usually in hives. Also, beekeeping requires very low investment and can be an additional income for farmers. Wax which is obtained from it has several medicinal uses.

Fill in the blanks with suitable words:
By using animal dung and organic waste we can make an organic manure called_________ .

By using animal dung and organic waste we can mae an organic manure called compost. It is formed through a process of decomposing called composting.

The production of food from animal sources has increased in the last few decades. Justify.

Some reasons for increase in food production from animal sources are:

1. Improved varieties and cross-breeds have been developed by genetic engineering. These are called crossbreeds.

2. Also, animal husbandry has become more scientific and appropriate.

3. Proper health and disease control has also improved the yield.

Give two examples of milch animals.

Milch animals refers to those female animals that that yield milk. milch animals are also known as dairy animals. Some examples of milk-producing animals are cows, goat, sheep, etc.

How do we store grains?

$$\textbf{Solution:}$$

$$\bullet$$ Storage of grains is very careful process because moisture, humidity, insects, rodents, etc can damage the grains.

$$\bullet$$ Grains should be maintained at $$14\%$$ of moisture level. Because the higher moisture level can spoil grains by promoting the growth of fungus and molds.

$$\bullet$$ Before storing in metal drums, grains are dried properly under the sunlight and neem leaves are also used sometimes.

$$\bullet$$ In granaries, grains are stored in large quantities in the gunny bags after drying properly.

Why are legumes desired in crop rotation ?

Legumes are desired in crop rotation because leguminous plants form a symbiotic association with Rhizobium and this symbiotic association helps in nitrogen fixation. These leguminous plants replenish the nitrogen in the soil and thus reduce the amount of fertilizers that need to be used.
Since, leguminous plants improve the amount of nitrogen present in soil; it is always desired to grow legumes in crop rotation.

What are the three methods being used to get high yield of crops?

The three methods to increase the yield of crops are:

Using high yielding variety seeds.
Use of modern irrigation methods so as to obtain more amount of water.
Crop rotation so as to increase the fertility of the soil.

Why do we seek to build large dams.

Dams are the barriers built across a river or stream for storage of water we build large dams for storage of adequate water for irrigation + other purposes. storage provides insurance against uncertainty due to climatic variability like drought. The majority of dams built are multi purpose in nature, but irrigation is the largest uses of waters withdrawn.

What are manures ? State three different types of manures.

Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure.
The three different kinds of manures are-

Compost- The process in which farm waste material like livestock excreta (cow dung etc.), vegetable waste, animal refuse, domestic waste, sewage waste, straw, eradicated weeds etc. is decomposed in pits is known as composting. The compost is rich in organic matter and nutrients.
Vermi-compost- Compost is also prepared by using earthworms to hasten the process of decomposition of plant and animal refuse. This is called vermicompost.
Green Manure- Prior to the sowing of the crop seeds, some plants like sun hemp or guar are grown and then mulched by ploughing them into the soil. These green plants thus turn into green manure which helps in enriching the soil in nitrogen and phosphorus.

A farmer sows peas in his field after harvesting a crop of rice. Which agricultural practice is the following?

This process is known as crop rotation. Crop rotation is the process of growing different types of crops in the same area during different seasons. This rotation helps in improving the fertility of the soil and crop yield. It also helps reduce soil erosion.

Explain two advantages of mixed cropping.

Mixed cropping is a type of agricultural practice that involves planting two or more types of crops simultaneously in the same piece of land. Following are advantages of mixed cropping:

1. It lessens the likelihood of total crop failure and crop yield increases.

2. It gives the possibility of harvesting more than one crop at the same time.

List out some best combinations for crop rotation in practice. What is the benefits from it?

Planting of crops with deep root alternating with shallow root crops is called crop rotation. Crop rotation helps in bringing stability of the soil, lesser the number of weeds, improves soil fertility, pests and diseases are controlled by breaking their life cycle. Legumes are used to improve the nitrogen-fixing ability of the plants. Carrots, beetroot alternated with corn. Cereals are alternated with legume plants.

Define mixed cropping.

Mixed cropping is a cropping technique in which different types of crops are cultivated together on the same field or land so that nutrient requirements are shared. This reduces risk and gives some insurance against the failure of one of the crops. For example, growing wheat + gram, or wheat + mustard, or groundnut + sunflower.

What are the advantages of intercropping and crop- rotation?

Intercropping is planting two or more crops in alternate row.

Advantages: 1. Nutrient requirement is different and does not deplete the soil completely of nutrients, which is likely to happen when a single crop is grown.

2. Effective pest control as pests are host specific, so , there are less chances of the entire yield getting destroyed. Economic loss is reduced.

3. provides variety and thereby economic gain.

Crop rotation is growing different types of crops over the same agricultural land during different seasons.

1. Nutrient levels of the soil is maintained.

2. Allows better control of weeds and soil borne plant diseases

3. Prevents evolution of resistant pest and weed varieties.

Why are manures and fertilizers used in fields?

Manures and fertilizers are required in fields to enrich the soil with the desirable nutrients.

Fertilizers are added in measured quantities after testing the quality of the soil in the laboratory. This eliminates excessive indiscriminate addition.

However, manures can be added as and when required as they are processed organic wastes and addition in excess quantities do not have an adverse effect on the soil microflora like the fertilizers.

Both manures and fertilizers replenish the soil of depleted nutrients and help increase the yeild.

Examples of fertilizers are - NPK, Ferrous Sulphate, Lime, Ammonium Phosphate etc.

Examples of Manures are; Farm Yard Manure, Vermicompost etc

Give reasons for the following.
Farmers prefer to grow beans and peas in nitrogen deficient soils.

Leguminous plants such as peas and beans have Rhizobium. It is a bacterium which resides in their root nodules. It helps in fixing the atmospheric nitrogen and transforms it into nitrates and nitrites which are absorbed by the plants. After harvesting the roots are left in the soil, in order to replenish the nitrogen content of the soil.

State the differences between compost and vermicompost

The compost is obtained by decomposition of organic waste like animal excreta plant waste etc. naturally due to decomposition by bacteria and when to hasten the process of decomposition, earthworms are added to this organic matter to obtain compost; this process is called vermicompost.

The above figure shows the two crop fields (Plots A and B) have been treated by manures and chemical fertilizers respectively, keeping other environmental factors the same. Observe the graph and answer the following question.
Why is the highest peak in plot A graph slightly delayed?

A slight delay in the highest peak in plot A graph shows that the natural fertilizer, manure, supplies nutrients to the soil at a slow rate.
Manures are not nutrient specific and contain small quantities of mineral salts and they are not easily soluble in water and hence, not easily absorbed by plant roots, so their maximum yield gets slightly delayed as compared to the fertilizers.

What is mixed cropping? What are the criteria for selecting crops for mixed farming ?

Mixed cropping is the practice of cultivating more than one crop, that is growing of two or more crops simultaneously in the same field. For example, wheat + gram, wheat + mustard etc. crops are selected such that their nutrient requirements are different.

Inter-cropping pattern is another type of ........ 1.. ...... system in which .......... 2 ,.......... or ..........3.......... crops are grown .........4.......... on the same field but they are not ..........5.......... with each other. They are grown in a set pattern. For example, a few rows of ..........6.......... alternate with a few rows of, ..........7.......... in the total field area. Such type of ..........8.......... in which two or more ..........9.......... are grown in ..........10.......... rows is called ..........11.......... pattern. The crops selected for such type of pattern should have ..........12.......... types of ..........13.......... This will help the crops to .........14.......... maximum nutrients for the ........15.......... This pattern also prevents ..........16........ and diseases to ..........17........ in all ........18.......... of one crop in the field.

I. cropping; 2. two; 3. more; 4. simultaneously; 5. mixed; 6. soybean; 7. maize; 8. cultivation; 9. crops;10. alternating; 11. inter-cropping; 12. different; 13. nutritional requirements; 14. utilise; 15. soil; 16. pests; 17. spread; 18. plants

What do you understand by 'crop rotation'? Giving a suitable example, explain how this practice is beneficial to the farmers.

Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar or different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons. It helps in reducing soil erosion and increases soil fertility and crop yield. With crop rotation, particular nutrients are replenished depending on the crops that are planted. For example, a simple rotation between heavy nitrogen using plant (e.g., corn) and a nitrogen depositing plant (e.g., soybeans) can help maintain a healthy balance of nutrients in the soil.

Crop rotation is beneficial to farmers as they use crop rotation to improve soil nutrients, foster soil quality, minimize soil erosion, and to increase water efficiency. A good rotation using nitrogen-fixing crops like beans helps to sustain farms, increasing productivity and lowering input costs.

Describe the practice of misc cultivation and crop rotation.

Mixed cropping is growing two or more crops at the same time in the same field. It is a practice often associated with sustainable and organic farming. It is commonly used in tropical parts of the world. There is often one main crop and one or more added crops, with the main crop being the one of primary importance because of economic or food production reasons.

Crop rotation is the is usually practiced so that the soil is not used for only one set of nutrients. It helps in reducing soil erosion and increases soil fertility and cropyield. The practice involves growing a series of dissimilar or different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons.

What is composite fish culture? What are the advantages of composite fish culture?

Composite fish culture is the process of rearing different species of fish in the same area or fish pond. All the species use the food available in the pond without competing with each other thus enhancing the survival of different species within the same area.

An advantage of composite fish culture is that it increases the yield of fish. Nearly, five or six different species are grown together in a single fish pond. The survival rate of fish increases and their yield also increases without affecting the other species.

What will happen if both the crops in mixed cropping are similar.

In Mixed cropping, only the different types of crops are grown together so that the different crops ripen at same time and thus it provides benefits, and is economically feasible to the farmer. But if both crops will be similar their ripening time will be same, they will compete with each other for nutrition, space,etc. Thus it will result into decrease in yield.

Explain crop rotation.

Crop rotation is the systematic planting of different crops in a particular order over several years in the same growing space. This process helps maintain nutrients in the soil, reduce soil erosion, and prevents plant diseases and pests. When a single crop is grown in one field for many years in a row, the crop will cause the depletion of particular nutrients from the soil. This depletion of nutrients leads to poor plant health and lower crop yield. With crop rotation, particular nutrients are replenished depending on the crops that are planted. For example, a simple rotation between a heavy nitrogen using plant (e.g., corn) and a nitrogen depositing plant (e.g., soybeans) can help maintain a healthy balance of nutrients in the soil. Crop rotation also prevents plant diseases and pests by exchanging crops that may be susceptible to a particular disease or pest with a crop that is not susceptible. For example, although corn is affected by corn root worms, soybeans are not. The soybeans help suppress the pest so that the corn planted the following year will not be as adversely affected by it. Fields may also be used as animal pastures or allowed to lay fallow until the following year. For organic farms and gardens, crop rotation is essential as it helps limit the amount of fertilizers and pesticides normally required .

Improvement In Food Resources - Class 9 Biology - Extra Questions