CHAPTER – 15

FOOD PRODUCTION
I.VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. Which one is not a source of carbohydrate?
a)Rice b)Millets c)Sorghum d)Gram
2. Which one of the following species of honey bee is an Italian species?
a) Apis dorsata b) Apis florae c) Apis cerana indica d) Apis mellifera
3. To solve the food problem following is of the country, which among the necessary?
a) Increased production and storage of food grains b) Easy access of people to the food grain
c) People should have money to purchase the grains d) All of the above
4. What is a GM crop? Name any one such crop which is grown in India.
Ans: GM crops are the crops which are developed by introducing a new gene from any other
source e.g. bacteria or any other organism. Bt cotton is an example of GM crop which is made
insect-resistant by introducing gene from the bacteria.
5. Define hybridization.
Ans: Hybridization is a process by which only desired type and number of pollen grains are used
for fertilization and reproduction.
6. Define mixed cropping.
Ans: 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.

II.SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Why is organic matter important for crop production?

Ans: Organic matter is very much important for enhancement in food production. Organic matter
is added in the form of manures to the crop. The organic matter enriches the soil with nutrients
and replenish the general deficiency of nutrients in the soil. It also water and for aeration of soil.
For example, the organic matter present in the manures increases the water holding capacity in
sandy soils and drainage in clayey soil. It also avoids water logging in clayey soils. The organic
matter also provides food for soil organisms (decomposers, such as bacteria, fungi, etc.) which in
turn help in making nutrients available to plants.

2. Cultivation practices and crop yield are related to environmental condition. Explain.
Ans: Cultivation practices and crops yield are related to environmental condition. Various crops
require different climatic conditions, temperature and photoperiod, for their growth and
completion of life cycle. On the basis of seasonal variations, crops in India can be classified into
three main groups:
*Rabi crop: It is a winter season crop grown from November to April.
*Kharif crop: It is a rainy season crop grown from June to October.
*Zaid crop: It is a summer season crop grown from April to June.

3. ln agricultural practices, higher input gives higher yield. Discuss how?

Ans:In agricultural practices, higher inputs give higher yield. Higher inputs in the form of sowing
of seeds of improved variety, application of better manures and fertiliser, proper spraying of
pesticides and weedicides, improved threshing and harvesting of crops leads to increase in crop
productivity. This also means the higher money inputs to raise the yield. Financial condition of
farmers allow them to take up different farming practices and technologies. The farmer’s
purchasing capacity for input decides cropping system and production practices.

4. Differentiate between compost and vermi- compost?

Ans:Compost: It is prepared from farm and town refuse such as vegetable and animal refuse,
faecal matter of human beings, weeds, straw, rice husks, forest litter, etc. It is a biological process
in which both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms decompose the organic matter.
It takes about 3 to 6 months for decomposition of organic refuse.
Vermicompost: It is the degradation of organic waste through the consumption by earthworms.
It takes about 1-2 months to prepare a vermicompost.

III.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the role of hybridisation in crop improvement.

Ans:The crossing between genetically dissimilar plants to produce a new kind (hybrid) is called
hybridisation. Crossing may be between two different varieties (intervarietal), between two different
species (interspecific) and between different genera (intergeneric).Cross-breeding of two varieties of
plants is carried out to obtain an improved variety of plants which will combine in it both the desired
characteristics of parent crop plants. For example, the new improved variety of crop plants, thus obtained
will give high yield of food grains and it will be disease resistant too. This process of cross breeding of
different plants to obtain a new improved variety of crops is called hybridisation.
Selection and hybridisation are often combined in breeding. In India crops are grown in diverse types of
soil and different climatic conditions by poor to progressive farmers. Keeping in mind climatic factors,
input application, disease and pest resistance, quality and adaptability etc. a large number of varieties
have been developed by hybridisation. Such varieties are high- yielding, resistant to diseases and pests,
have better quality and early to late maturing time.

2. Write the modes by which insects affect the crop yield.

Ans: Insects affect the crop yields in both useful and harmful ways. Harmful insects attack the plants and
are called insect pests. Insect pests are of following types :
Chewing insects: Insect pests of this category cut the roots, stem and leaves with the help of their
chewing mouth parts. They chew and swallow the pieces of plant parts. E.g., grasshoppers, caterpillars,
locusts etc.
Sucking insects: These insects puncture the plant parts and suck the cell sap with the help of their
needle like hollow beaks. E.g., leaf hoppers, aphids, bugs, etc.
Internal feeders: These insects bore into stem and fruits. They live inside the plant parts and harm the
crop yield. E.g., weevils, borers, etc.
Every year Insect pests cause a significant damage to the crops and thereby reduce the productivity.
Various methods like use of chemical pesticides, natural insecticides like neem, nicotine etc. and various
biological methods are employed to control the pest infestation and reduce the damage done by them.
Useful insects are those which assist in pollination thus, ensure fruit formation and those which feed on
harmful) insect pests. E.g., lady bird beetle feeds on aphids thus controls this pest.