Chapter 12: Improvement in Food Resources

What do we get from cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables?

Ans:

Cereals are the source of carbohydrates and are the main source of energy.

Pulses provide protein for growth and development.

Vegetables and fruits are loaded with minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats for overall development.

In-text Question 1.2  Page Number: 205

Q1. How do biotic and abiotic factors affect crop production?

Ans:

2 major factors that affect the crop are:

• Biotic factors like insects, rodents, pests, and many more spread the disease and reduce crop production.
• Abiotic factors like humidity, temperature, moisture, wind, rain, flood and many more destroy the crop raised.

Q2. What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvement?

Ans:

The essential agronomic features required for crop improvement are:

• Profuse branching along with tallness in any fodder crop.
• Dwarfness in any cereals.

 

In-text Question 1.3 Page Number: 206

Q1. What are macro-nutrients, and why are they called macronutrients?

Ans:

Macro-nutrients are the fundamental elements that are used by plants in more quantity. Macro-nutrients needed by the plants are

• Macro-nutrients as the constituent of protoplasm.

• Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Sulphur are present in proteins.

• Calcium exists in the cell wall.

• Magnesium is a significant component of chlorophyll.

Q2. How do plants get nutrients?

Ans:

There are 16 basic essential nutrients required by plants to grow. Carbon and Oxygen are supplied by water, and the remaining nutrients are supplied through the soil.

 

In-text Question 1.4 Page Number: 207

Q1. Compare the use of manure and fertilisers in maintaining soil fertility.

Ans:

• Manure improves soil quality with added nutrients.
• Manure provides extra organic matter called humus to the soil and therefore increasing the water retention capacity of sandy soils and drainage in clayey soil.
• Manures reduce soil erosion.
• They provide food for soil-friendly bacteria, which are helpful in growing crops.

The effects of fertilisers are

• Fertilisers make the soil become too dry and powdered and raise the rate of soil erosion.
• The organic matter decreases by decreasing the porosity of the soil; hence, the plant roots do not get oxygen properly.
• The nature of soil changes, either basic or acidic.

 

In-text Question 1.5  Page Number: 208

Q1. Which of the following conditions will give the most benefits? Why?

(a) Farmers use high-quality seeds; do not adopt irrigation or use fertilisers.

(b) Farmers use ordinary seeds, adopt irrigation and use fertiliser.

(c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertiliser and use crop protection measures.

Ans:

Option (c) will give the most benefits because the use of good quality seeds is not only sufficient until the soil is properly irrigated, enriched with fertilisers and protected from biotic factors.

In-text Question 1.6 Page Number: 209

Q1. Why should preventive measures and biological control methods be preferred for protecting crops?

Ans:

Over-exposure to chemicals leads to environmental problems; hence, biological methods are preferred for protecting crops from pathogens, insects and rodents, along with increasing production. Since chemicals are harmful to plants and also to the animals which feed on them, bio-pesticides are used as a safe way of crop protection.

Q2. What factors may be responsible for the losses of grains during storage?

Ans:

Biotic and Abiotic factors are responsible for the loss of grains during storage like

• Rodents
• Pests
• Insects
• Fungi
• Bacteria
• Sunlight
• Flood
• Rain
• Temperature
• Moisture

In-text Question 1.7 Page Number: 210

Q1. Which method is commonly used for improving cattle breeds and why?

Ans:

Cross-breading is generally the best method adopted for improving cattle breed quality. In this method, breeding between two good cattle breeds results in a new, improved variety of cattle breeds or offspring. While breeding, care is taken to have a good resultant with a high yield having resistance to climatic conditions.

In-text Question 1.8 Page Number: 211

Q1. What management practices are common in dairy and poultry farming?

Ans:

• Well-designed Hygienic shelter for dairy animals and poultry birds.
• Good quality proper food and fodder are provided to dairy animals and poultry birds.
• Importance for animal health by prevention and cure of disease caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
• Sunlight-feasible and airy ventilated shelter for animals.

Q2. What are the differences between broilers and layers and their management?

Ans:

Broilers

The poultry bird raised for meat purposes is called a broiler. Broilers feed on protein-rich adequate-fat food. The level of vitamins A and K is kept high in poultry feeds.

Layers

The egg-laying poultry bird is called a layer. The housing, environmental and nutritional requirements of broilers vary from those of egg layers. Layers require proper lighting and enough space.

Q3. Discuss the implications of the following statement: “It is interesting to note that poultry is India’s most efficient converter of low-fibre foodstuff (which is unfit for human consumption) into highly nutritious animal protein food.”

Ans:

Poultry farming aims to raise domestic birds for egg and chicken meat purposes. These domestic birds feed on animal feeds which mainly consist of roughages for getting good quality feathers, eggs, chicken and nutrient-rich manure. For these reasons, it is said that “poultry is India’s most efficient converter of low-fibre foodstuff into highly nutritious animal protein food.”

 

In-text Question 1.9 Page Number: 213

Q1. How are fish obtained?

Ans:

Fishes are obtained in two ways:

Capture fishing: Obtaining fish from natural resources.

Culture Fishery: Culturing of fishes in freshwater ecosystems, like rivers, ponds and lakes, also including marine.

Q2. What are the advantages of composite fish culture?

Ans:

The advantages of composite fish culture are

• In a single fish pond, a combination of 5 or 6 types of fish species can be cultured since they do not compete for food among themselves
• Food resources can be completely utilised
• Survival of the fish also increases
• More yield

 

In-text Question 1.9 Page Number: 213

Q1. What are the desirable characteristics of bee varieties suitable for honey production?

Ans:

• The variety of bees should yield a large amount of honey.
• The bees should stay for a longer period in bee hives.
• The bees should not sting much.
• Bees should be disease resistant.

Q2. What is pasturage, and how is it related to honey production?

Ans:

Pasturage refers to the availability of flowers to the bees for easy accessibility for pollen collection and nectar. The kinds of flowers available will determine the taste of the honey; hence, Pasturage is the main reason for good quality honey.