Agriculture and Types of Crops India

• The rearing of soil for the production of crops is called agriculture.
• Our country is an agriculture-based country. The types of soil around different corners of the country make the production of types of crops in India possible.
• Agriculture in India is an intense practice which starts with the preparation of soil and ends with the storage of harvested crops.
• Each step requires various implements or chemicals; hence it is essential to know about agriculture.
• Carelessness or weather changes at any step may damage crops and ultimately cause huge losses.

Types of Crops

Question 1:

What Are Food Crops? What Are the Desirable Qualities of Food Crops?

Answer:

Question 2:

What Are the Desirable Qualities of Feed Crops?

Answer:

Question 3:

What Are Fibre Crops? Why Are Fibre Crops Important for the Development of the Indian Economy?

Answer:

The crops grown to obtain fibres used for different purposes are called fibre crops. Cotton, Jute and flax are examples. Fibre crops are important for the Indian economy due to following reasons:

• Fibre crops provide the raw material for the textile industry.
• The growing of fibre crops employs farmers and other people involved in the extraction and processing of fibre crops.

Question 4:

It Is Not Possible to Replace Wood in Our Lives. What Measures Should Be Taken to Ensure the Recovery of Forest Cover Along With the Production of Timber?

Answer:

Wood has become an essential part of our day-to-day lives. Moreover, the demand for wood is also increasing with an increase in the population.

The following measures can be taken for the recovery of forests along with the use of wood.

• Recycling products made of wood.
• Use processed wood to make tiny furniture like side tables, coffee tables etc.
• Recycling stationary waste like paper and cardboard.
• Ensuring proper plantation of trees in open areas.
• Allowing the forests to recover after collecting wood from a particular patch of forest cover.

Question 5:

What Is Organic Farming?

Answer:

Farming which excludes the use of chemically synthesised things, is called organic farming. The basic features of organic farming are as follows:

• Use of manure instead of fertilisers.
• Use of natural seeds instead of hybrid seeds.
• Exclusion of pesticides and weedicides.

Question 6:

What Are Hybrid Seeds?

Answer:

Seeds produced by genetic modifications of plants to improve the production of crops are called hybrid seeds. These seeds have the following properties:

• They are resistant to climate change.
• They are resistant to diseases.
• They mature early.
• They are resistant to worms and parasites.

Question 7:

What Is Plantation Crop?

Answer:

The perennial crops grown on a piece of land and their products harnessed for a long time are called plantation crops.

Examples are Tea, coffee, rubber, coconut, and cashew nuts.

Question 8:

Which Soil Is Suitable for Growing Rice? Give a Reason for Your Answer.

Answer:

• Loamy soil is most suitable for growing rice.
• Rice requires standing water in the field during the growth stage.
• Clayey soil has the excellent water-holding capacity and does not allows water to seep through the soil quickly.

Crop Production

Question 1:

The Use of Modern Agriculture Implements Is Affecting the Life of Farmers and Labourers. Explain How?

Answer:

• Modern agriculture implements have reduced the number of labourers required and the time required for agricultural activities.
• It has led to the unemployment of many people who were previously involved in manual work.

Question 2:

How Is Modern Agriculture Different From Traditional Agricultural Practices?

Answer:

Modern agriculture is different from traditional agriculture practices in the following ways:

• Use of chemicals for increasing crop yields.
• The crops are not damaged due to pests as there are suitable methods for their control.
• The farmers do not depend on rain due to the development of irrigation methods and facilities.
• Hybrid seeds lead to increased production in the small patch of land.

Question 3:

Agriculture Cannot Be Practised in Snow-Covered Areas. Why Do You Think So?

Answer:

Agriculture cannot be practised in snow-covered areas due to the following reasons:

• Extremely low temperatures restrict plant growth.
• When covering the plants, Frost leads to the death of cells, resulting in the wilting of leaves and plant death.
• Low temperatures lead to the freezing of water, and hence it becomes unsuitable for plants to use.

Question 4:

Which State Is the Largest Producer of Rice in India?

Answer:

West Bengal is the largest producer of rice in India.

Question 5:

What Is Crop Rotation? Why Do Farmers Practise It?

Answer:

• Growing different crops in the field after every cropping season is called crop rotation.
• It is practised by farmers to replenish the nutrients in the soil.
• Growing similar crops one after another leads to the use of the same type of nutrients again and again; hence, the soil becomes nutrient deficient.

Question 6:

What Is Shelterbelt? Why Are They Grown by the Farmers?

Answer:

Question 7:

How Does Waterlogging Affect the Productivity of Crops?

Answer:

Water logging decreases the productivity of crops. Due to water logging, the roots of the plants cannot exchange gases and start wilting, which leads to the death of the plant.