Question 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 _____________.
(b) The first step before growing crops is _____________ of the soil.
(c) Damaged seeds would _____________ on top of water.
(d) For growing a crop, sufficient sunlight and _____________ and _____________ from the soil are essential.
Answer:
(a) The same kind of plants grown and cultivated on a large scale at a place is called a crop.
(b) The first step before growing crops is the preparation of the soil.
(c) Damaged seeds would float on top of the water.
(d) For growing a crop, sufficient sunlight and water and nutrients from the soil are essential.
Question 2. Match items in column A with those in column B.
Column A Column 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 waste
(iv) Organic manure (d) Wheat, gram, pea
(e) Paddy and maize
Answer:
Matched items of column A with column B:
| S.No. | A | B |
| 1 | Kharif Crop | (e)Paddy and Maize |
| 2 | Rabi Crop | (d)Wheat, gram, pea |
| 3 | Chemical & Fertilisers | (b) Urea and Superphosphate |
| 4 | Organic Manure | (c)Animal excreta, Cow-dung urine and plant waste |
Question 3. Give two examples of each:
(a) Kharif crop:
Answer:
Kharif Crop: The crops which are sown in the rainy season are called Kharif crops. The rainy season in India is generally from June to September. Ex: Paddy, maize, soybean, groundnut and cotton.
(b) Rabi crop:
Answer:
Rabi Crops: The crops grown in the winter season which is from October to March are called rabi crops. Examples are wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed.
Question 4. Write a paragraph in your own words on-
(a)Preparation of soil
Answer:
The preparation of the soil is the first step before growing a crop. It includes turning and loosening of the soil. This helps the roots to penetrate deep into the soil. The loose soil allows the roots to breathe easily even when they go deep into the soil. The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes present in the soil. These organisms are useful because they further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to it. In this way, various nutrients in the dead organisms are released back into the soil. These nutrients are again absorbed by the plants.
Since only a few centimetres of the top layer of soil supports plant growth, turning and loosening of soil brings the nutrient-rich soil to the top so that plants can use these nutrients. Thus, turning and loosening soil is very important for the cultivation of the crop.
This process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing. This is done by using a plough.
(b) Sowing
Answer:
Sowing is an important part of the cultivation of crops. Before sowing, good quality, clean and healthy seeds of a good variety are selected. Farmers prefer to use seeds that give a high yield. It is placing of seed in the soil with the help of some tools.
Traditionally used Tool is funnel-shaped. Nowadays, modern tools like seed drill is used which sows the seeds uniformly at equal distance and depth and saves time and labour.
(c)Weeding
Answer:
The removal of weeds from the crop is called weeding. Weeding is an important step in cultivation since weeds compete with the crop plants for water, nutrients, space, and light. Thus, they affect the growth of the crop. Weeds can be removed by uprooting or cutting them close to the ground, from time to time. This is done with the help of a khurpi.
Weeds can also be controlled by spraying certain chemicals, called weedicides, like 2,4-D. These are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds. They are not harmful for the crops.
(d)Threshing
Answer:
In the harvested crop, the grain seeds need to be separated from the chaff. This process is called threshing. This is done with the help of a machine called ‘combine’ which is, in fact, a harvester as well as a thresher.
Farmers with small holdings of land do the separation of grain and chaff by using the winnowing method.
Question 5. Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.
Answer:
Fertilisers are different from manures in the following ways:
S. No.
| S. No. | Fertiliser | Manure |
| 1. | Fertiliser is a man-made inorganic salt. | Manure is a natural substance obtained by the decomposition of cattle dung and plant residues. |
| 2. | Fertilisers are prepared in factories. | Manure can be prepared in the fields. |
| 3. | Fertilisers do not provide any humus to the soil. | Manure provides a lot of humus to the soil. |
| 4. | Fertilisers are very rich in plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. | Manure is relatively less rich in plant nutrients. |
Question 6. What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation that conserve water.
Answer:
The supply of water to crops at regular intervals is called irrigation.
Two methods of irrigation that conserve water are:
(i) Sprinkler system: 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.
(ii) Drip system: the water falls drop by drop directly near the roots. So it is called the drip system. Water is not wasted at all. It is a boon in regions where the availability of water is poor.
Question 7. If wheat is sown in the Kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.
Answer:
Wheat is rabi crop, hence it requires cold conditions for proper growth. If it is sown in the kharif season, it will not grow or will get destroyed because of rain, humidity, etc.
Question 8. Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.
Answer: The continuous plantation of crops in a field makes the soil poorer in certain nutrients present in the soil which are helpful for the proper growth and functioning of the plants. Hence decreasing the fertility and also yield of the crop.
Question 9. What are weeds? How can we control them?
Answer:
The undesirable plants that grow naturally along with the crop are called weeds.
We can control them by the following steps:
(i) Chemical like weedicides is sprayed in the fields to control the weeds.
(ii) by uprooting or cutting them close to the ground with the help of a khurpi.