Crop production and management

Q1) What is the use of a plough in agriculture ?

Ans:

Tilling is done by plough.

Q2) What are weeds?

Ans:

Weeds are unwanted plants.

Q3) Why is a seed drill used by farmers?

Ans:

For sowing the seeds.

Q4) What is meant by nitrogen fixation  

Ans:

All leguminous plants such as grams, peats and beans convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into nitrates with the help of rhizobium bacteria that live in their roots in special structures called root nodules. After harvesting when the roots of these plants decompose, the nitrates present in the root nodules enrich the soil. Some blue green algae also fix nitrogen gas directly from the air as nitrates. The process of fixing nitrogen directly from the air is known as nitrogen fixation.

Q5) Name two plant pests ?

Ans:

Bettle, grass hopper and aphid.

Q6) why is winnowing important?

Ans:

Because it will separate the seeds from the shaft

Q7) How are poultry birds protected from diseases ?

Ans:

They should be vaccinated to protect them from common diseases.

Q8) What are Rabi and Kharif crops? Give one example for each?

Ans:

Based on the growing period crops are grouped as Kharif and Rabi crops. Crops which are sown in the rainy season ( June to September) are Kharif crops. Paddy, Maize and ground nut are Kharif crops. Crops that are grown in winter ( October to March ) are known as Rabi crops. Wheat, Mustard, gram, linseed and pea are Rabi crops.

Q9) why is levelling important?

Ans:

After tilling, the soil is levelled with the help of a wooden plank pulled by bullocks. The plank is kept pressed to the ground. Levelling can also be done by a heavy wooden plank attached to a tractor. By levelling, the field gets covered with softened soil. This reduces loss of moisture from the soil. Once the field is levelled, it is ready for sowing.

Q10) What do you mean by crop rotation?

Ans:

When a piece of land is used to grow crops, the plant nutrients get used up more rapidly than they are being renewed. After each crop, the field has lesser amount of nutrients.

Farmers have to take steps to maintain soil fertility.

Q11) why should weed be removed.

Ans:

      1)   The seeds of weeds germinate earlier than the seeds of crop plants.

      2)  The seeding grows faster.

      3)   Weeds flower earlier.

      4)  Weeds form seeds in large numbers.

      5)   The seeds mature ahead of the crop plants.

Q12) Discuss the precautions taken while sowing seeds?

Ans:

To obtain a good crop, farmers have to procure the right kind of seeds. The seeds used for cultivation are especially grown. Great care is taken to obtain healthy seeds of a desired variety. It is also ensured that the seeds are free from the seeds of weeds.

Seeds have to be sown at a proper depth. They need the right amount of water and warmth to germinate. They also need air. Farmers sow seeds at a time when the weather is suitable for the seed to germinate. Once the seed are sown, they need water. very little or excess of water damages the seed .

Q13) what are the disadvantages of irrigating fields by traditional ways?

Ans:

When field is watered in the traditional way, the land remains flooded with water for sometime. Every time the land gets flooded, some amount of plant nutrients along with water percolate deep into the soil. This makes the topsoil less fertile in the long run.

Q14) explain one modern method of irrigation.

Ans:

Drip irrigation is an efficient system of watering plants. It supplies water to plants with the help of pipes. Since water is supplied drop by drop near the roots, most of the water is absorbed. There is hardly any loss of water due to evaporation or run off.

Q15) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using chemical fertilisers.

Ans:

Plants need minerals such as potassium ( k ) and phosphorus ( P ) and salts like nitrates to grow. Often, manure is not adequate to replenish these plants nutrients in the soil. Therefore farmers use chemical fertilisers such as urea, potash and NPK.

Excessive use of chemical fertilisers damages the soil. They make the soil less porous and reduce the water-holding capacity of the soil. Chemical fertilisers also make the soil acidic. Most plants do not grow in acidic soil. Chemical fertilisers kills soil organisms. As a result the soil loses its natural capacity of decomposing organic matter.

Q16) distinguish between herbicides and pesticides.

Ans:

Weeds are herbs. Certain chemicals called herbicides are used to control weeds.

Pesticides are used to kill pests. Pests are animals that causing harm to crops.

Q17) what precautions must one take in rearing poultry?

Ans:

The rearing of birds like chicken, ducks, quails, turkeys and guinea fowl for eggs and meat is known as poultry farming. The birds should be kept in clean and ventilated sheds. There should be a separate enclosure for the chicks. The birds should be provided with clean drinking water and nutritive food. The food should include a few types of grains calcium and traces of vitamin.

Birds are prone to several viral and bacterial diseases. They should be vaccinated to protect them from common diseases. Sick birds must be quickly separated from the healthy birds.