CHAPTER 1 CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

Exercise Questions
1. Select the correct word from the following list and fill in the blanks.
float, water, crop, nutrients, preparation
(a) The same kind of plants grown and cultivated on a large scale at a place is called crop.
(b) The first step before growing crops is preparation of the soil.
(c) Damaged seeds would float on top of water.
(d) For growing a crop, sufficient sunlight and water and nutrients from the soil are
essential.

2. Match items in column A with those in column B.

A B
(i) Kharif crops (a) Food for cattle
(ii) Rabi crops (b) Urea and superphosphate
(iii) Chemical fertilisers (c) Animal excreta, cow dung urine and plant wastes
(iv) Organic manure (d) Wheat, gram, pea
(e) Paddy and maize

Solution:
A B
(i) Kharif crops (e) Paddy and maize
(ii) Rabi crops (d) Wheat, gram, pea
(iii) Chemical fertilisers (b) Urea and superphosphate
(iv) Organic manure (c) Animal excreta, cow dung urine and plant wastes

3. Give two examples of each.

(a) Kharif crop: Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut and cotton.
(b) Rabi crop:Wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed.

4. Write a paragraph in your own words on each of the following.

(a) Preparation of soil: Preparation of the soil is the first step in agriculture. Preparation
of the soil is done to loosen the soil, which is essential for root penetration into the
soil. This allows the roots to breathe easily. Loosening of the soil allows the growth of
earthworms and microorganisms, which will help to keep the soil fertile by adding
humus to the soil. Loosening of soil also brings nutrient-rich soil to the top layer,
which is essential for the growth of plants.
(b) Sowing: Sowing is an important process in crop production. First, healthy seeds are
selected before sowing. After selecting healthy seeds, sowing is done by either
traditional methods or by using the equipment’s seed drill.
(c) Weeding: Removal of unnecessary plants from the field is called weeding. Weeds
compete with crop plants for nutrients and water. This will reduce the yield of the
desired crops. Weeds also interfere while harvesting and get mixed with crops. Some
weeds are poisonous to animals and humans. Tilling is a common method that helps
remove weeds before sowing crops, and manual methods like the physical removal of
plants are also used to remove weeds. Weedicides are sprayed to get rid of weeds, but
this method may affect the health of farmers because of the chemicals used as
weedicides.
(d) Threshing: Process of separating the chaff from the crop is known as threshing.
Threshing is carried by a machine called ‘combine’, which is a harvester as well as a
thresher. Threshing is also done by winnowing, where the blow of air is used to
separate the chaff from crops.
5. Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.
Fertilisers Manure
Fertiliser is an inorganic substance. Manure is an organic substance.
Manure is obtained by the decomposition
Fertilisers are prepared artificially.
of animal, plant and human waste.
Prepared in factories. Prepared in fields.
Does not provide humus to the soil. Provide humus to the soil.
Rich in plant nutrients. Relatively less plant nutrients.
Long-term usage has adverse effects on soil. Long-term usage improves soil fertility.
6. What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation which conserve water.
Sol: The supply of water to crops at regular intervals is called irrigation. Methods of irrigation
which conserve water are as follows:
a) Drip Irrigation: Here, the water goes drop by drop directly into the roots; this method
is very useful as it conserves the water and also helps in avoiding weeds.
b) Sprinkler system: This method is in use mainly in uneven land where sufficient water
is not available. The perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to
the main pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to flow through the main
pipe under pressure with the help of a pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles. It
gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining.
7. If wheat is sown in the Kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.
Sol: Wheat crops may get destroyed if sown in the Kharif season because of unfavourable
temperatures, pests and adaptable conditions for the plants to grow. Kharif comes during
the rainy season; hence it is not a wise idea to grow wheat in the Kharif season.
8. Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.
Sol: Plants require nutrients for their growth. Without optimum nutrients, plants will die.
Continuous plantation of crops results in the depletion of certain nutrients like Nitrogen,
Phosphorus, Potassium, etc. This results in a decrease in yield due to loss of nutrients;
hence there should be a gap between crops in order to get a good yield.
9. What are weeds? How can we control them?
Sol: In a field, many other undesirable plants may grow naturally along with the crop. These
undesirable plants are called weeds. Weeds can be controlled by methods called weeding.
Tilling before sowing the crops helps in uprooting and killing weeds, which may then dry up and
get mixed with the soil. Weeds are also controlled by using certain chemicals called weedicides.
10. Arrange the following boxes in proper order to make a flow chart of sugarcane crop
production.
Sending crop to Irrigation Harvesting Sowing
sugar factory
1 2 3 4
Preparation of Ploughing the Manuring
soil field
5 6 7
Sol: Preparation of soil

Ploughing the field

Sowing

Manuring

Irrigation

Harvesting

Sending crop to sugar factory

11. Complete the following word puzzle with the help of the clues given below.
Down
1. Providing water to the crops.
2. Keeping crop grains for a long time under proper conditions.
5. Certain plants of the same kind are grown on a large scale.
Across
3. A machine used for cutting the matured crop.
4. A rabi crop, which is also one of the pulses.
6. A process of separating the grain from the chaff.
Sol:

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 CHAPTER 2 MICROORGANISMS: FRIEND AND FOE
Exercise Questions
1. Fill in the blanks.
(a) Microorganisms can be seen with the help of a Microscope.
(b) Blue-green algae fix Nitrogen directly from the air and enhance the fertility of the
soil.
(c) Alcohol is produced with the help of Yeast.
(d) Cholera is caused by Bacteria – Vibrio cholera.

2. Tick the correct answer.

(a) Yeast is used in the production of [ (ii) ]
(i) sugar (ii) alcohol (iii) hydrochloric acid (iv) oxygen
(b) The following is an antibiotic [ (ii) ]
(i) Sodium bicarbonate (ii) Streptomycin
(iii) Alcohol (iv) Yeast
(c) Carrier of malaria-causing protozoan is [ (i) ]
(i) female Anopheles mosquito (ii) Cockroach
(iii) housefly (iv) butterfly
(d) The most common carrier of communicable diseases is [ (ii) ]
(i) ant (ii) housefly (iii) dragonfly (iv) spider
(e) The bread or idli dough rises because of [ (iii) ]
(i) heat (ii) grinding
(iii) growth of yeast cells (iv) infection
(f) The process of conversion of sugar into alcohol is called [ (iii) ]
(i) nitrogen fixation (ii) moulding (iii) fermentation (iv) infection
3. Match the organisms in Column A with their action in Column B.
A B
(i) Bacteria (a) Fixing nitrogen
(ii) Rhizobium (b) Setting of curd
(iii) Lactobacillus (c) Baking of bread
(iv) Yeast (d) Causing malaria
(v) A protozoan (e) Causing cholera
(vi) A virus (f) Causing AIDS
(g) Producing antibodies

Solution:
A B
(i) Bacteria (e) Causing cholera
(ii) Rhizobium (a) Fixing nitrogen
(iii) Lactobacillus (b) Setting of curd
(iv) Yeast (c) Baking of bread
(v) A protozoan (d) Causing malaria
(vi) A virus (f) Causing AIDS

4. Can microorganisms be seen with the naked eye? If not, how can they be seen?
Sol: Microorganisms cannot be seen by the naked eye because they are very small. They can
be seen by using a microscope.
5. What are the major groups of microorganisms?
Sol: The major groups of microorganisms are as follows:
1. Bacteria
2. Fungi
3. Protozoans
4. Algae
5. Viruses

6. Name the microorganisms which can fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil.
Sol: Rhizobium
7. Write 10 lines on the usefulness of microorganisms in our lives
Sol: The uses of microorganisms are listed below.
 They are helpful in cleaning up the environment. For example, organic wastes (vegetable
peels, remains of animals, faeces, etc.) are broken down into harmless and usable
substances by bacteria.
 Curd contains several microorganisms. Of these, the bacterium, Lactobacillus promotes
the formation of curd. It multiplies in milk and converts it into curd.
 Bacteria are also involved in the making of cheese, pickles and many other food items.
 Bacteria and yeast are also helpful for the fermentation of rice idlis and dosa batter.
 Yeast reproduces rapidly and produces carbon dioxide during respiration. Bubbles of
gas fill up the dough and increase its volume. This is the basis of the use of yeast in the
baking industry for making bread, pastries and cakes.
 Microorganisms are used for the large-scale production of alcohol, wine and acetic acid
(vinegar).
 Antibiotics are produced from bacteria and fungi.
 Microorganisms are helpful in producing vaccines against disease-causing agents.
 Some bacteria (Fig. 2.7) are able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere to enrich the soil
with nitrogen and increase its fertility.
 Microorganisms decompose dead organic waste of plants and animals to convert them
into simple substances. These substances are again used by other plants and animals.
Thus, microorganisms can be used to degrade harmful and smelly substances and
thereby clean up the environment.

8. Write a short paragraph on the harmful effects of microorganisms.

Sol: Microorganisms cause diseases in plants and animals. For example, Cholera in humans is
caused by bacteria called Vibrio cholera. In animals, the virus causes foot and mouth
diseases. Microorganisms spoil food by decomposing the food material. Some
microorganisms spoil leather and clothes. Microorganisms are also responsible for food
poisoning.

9. What are antibiotics? What precautions must be taken while taking antibiotics?
Sol: Chemical agents that kill or stop the growth of disease-causing microorganisms are called
antibiotics. Antibiotics should be taken only on the advice of a qualified doctor. Also, one
must complete the course prescribed by the doctor.

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