Important Diagrams: Improvement in Food Resources | Science Class 9 PDF Download

Q1: Answer the following questions based on the diagram given below:

(i) What are Kharif crops and when are they sown and harvested?
Ans: Kharif crops are a group of crops that are sown in the months of June/July and harvested in September/October every year. Examples of Kharif crops include paddy, maize, sugarcane, sorghum, and pearl millet.

(ii) Can you name some examples of Rabi crops and mention their sowing and harvesting months?
Ans: Rabi crops are a group of crops sown in the months of October/November and harvested in March/April every year. Examples of Rabi crops include wheat, oat, barley, and pea.

(iii) Define agriculture and its origins in Latin.
Ans: Agriculture, derived from Latin, is a term combining "ager," meaning field or soil, with "culture," meaning cultivation. Agriculture or farming involves the cultivation of the soil, including the growing of plant crops and rearing of animals.

(iv) What are macronutrients in plants, and why are they important?
Ans: Macronutrients are essential elements utilized by plants in relatively large quantities. They play a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. Examples of macronutrients include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

(v) Differentiate between macronutrients and micronutrients in plants.
Ans: Macronutrients are essential elements utilized by plants in relatively large quantities, while micronutrients are essential elements utilized by plants in small quantities or traces. Macronutrients include elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while micronutrients include elements needed in smaller amounts, such as iron, zinc, and copper.

Q2: Answer the following questions based on the diagram given below:

(i) What is the primary purpose of using manure in agriculture?
Ans: The primary purpose of using manure in agriculture is to enrich the soil with organic matter and nutrients, thus improving soil fertility.

(ii) How does manure benefit soil structure, and what are the specific effects on different types of soils?
Ans: Manure improves soil structure by adding organic matter. In sandy soils, it increases water holding capacity, while in clayey soils, it aids drainage.

(iii) What are the environmental benefits of using manure as a fertilizer compared to chemical fertilizers?
Ans: Using manure as a fertilizer is environmentally friendly because it reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, promotes the recycling of farm waste, and reduces the potential for harmful runoff into water bodies.

(iv) Can you explain the difference between compost and vermi-compost?
Ans: Compost is produced through the decomposition of farm waste materials like livestock excreta and vegetable waste, resulting in nutrient-rich compost. Vermi-compost, on the other hand, involves using earthworms to accelerate the decomposition process and produce vermi-compost, which is also nutrient-rich.

Q3: Answer the following questions based on the diagram given below:

(i) Explain what mixed cropping is and provide an example.
Ans: Mixed cropping is the practice of growing two or more different crops simultaneously on the same piece of land. This strategy helps in reducing disease risk and provides insurance against the failure of one of the crops. An example of mixed cropping is planting wheat and gram together, or wheat and mustard, or groundnut and sunflower.

(ii) Describe inter-cropping and give an example of crops that can be inter-cropped.
Ans: Inter-cropping involves growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a specific pattern. In this method, a few rows of one crop alternate with a few rows of a second crop. An example of inter-cropping is planting soybean and maize together, or finger millet (bajra) and cowpea (lobia). This strategy helps utilize nutrients efficiently and prevents the spread of pests and diseases.

(iii) What is crop rotation, and how does it benefit farmers in agricultural practices?
Ans: Crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops in a pre-planned succession on a piece of land. The choice of crops in rotation depends on factors such as moisture availability and irrigation facilities. Proper crop rotation allows farmers to grow two or three crops in a year, leading to a good harvest. It also helps in nutrient management, pest control, and disease prevention.