Class - 8th
NCERT
Chapter - 1
CROP PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Quick Review
To provide food for a large population, regular production, proper management and distribution of food is necessary.
When nomadic people settled and cultivated lands, they produced rice, wheat and other crops, then agriculture was born.
Crop : When plants of same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called crop. In India, two cropping patterns are found :
Kharif crops : Grown from June to September (Rainy Season) e.g., paddy, maize, soyabean, etc.
Rabi crops : Grown from October to March (Winter Season) e.g., gram, pea, mustard, linseed etc.
Agricultural Implements : Tools used for the purpose of various agricultural activities.
Main agricultural implements are :
(i) Plough (ii) Hoe (iii) Cultivator (iv) Tools used for sowing seeds.
Agricultural Practices :
General activities undertaken by the farmer over a period of time to cultivate crops are called agricultural practices. They are as follows :
(i) Preparation of soil : It is the first step before growing a crop. Soil has to be loosened (The process of loosening and turning of the soil in called tilling or ploughing). This also helps in growth of earthworms and microbes that add humus to it. The ploughed fields have big pieces of soil called crumbs.
(ii) Sowing : Before sowing, good quality seeds are selected. Farmers are advised to use good, healthy and high yielding seeds.
Methods of Sowing : Sowing is done either manually or by using machines. Some methods are –
(a) Traditional Tools : It was used by farmers. It is upper funnel shaped part which is filled by seeds. The seeds pass down through two or three pipes having sharp ends pierce into the soil and place seed in that space.
(b) Manual Sowing : In this method, the seeds are scattered in the entire field unevenly by sprinkling them into the soil by hand. This process is called broadcasting.
(c) Seed Drill : It is a mechanical method of sowing by using a tractor. Seed drill is a long iron tube having funnel at top. This is tied with the plough and seeds are put into the funnel of seed drill. This method protects the seeds from the damage caused by birds. It also saves time and labour.
(iii) Adding manures and fertilizers : The substances are added to the soil in the form of nutrients for the healthy growth of plants is called manures and fertilizers.
Manure : It is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or animal wastes.
Fertilizers : These are chemical substances which are rich in a particular nutrient. e.g., urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK.
Advantages of Manure over Fertilizers :
(iii) Adding manures and fertilizers : The substances are added to the soil in the form of nutrients for the healthy growth of plants is called manures and fertilizers.
Manure : It is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or animal wastes.
Fertilizers : These are chemical substances which are rich in a particular nutrient. e.g., urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK.
Advantages of Manure over Fertilizers :
The organic manure is considered better than fertilizers. This is because—
(a) it enhances the water holding capacity of the soil.
(b) it makes the soil porous due to which exchange of gases becomes easy.
(c) it improves the texture of the soil.
(iv) Irrigation : The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation. Sources of irrigation are—wells,
tubewells, ponds, lakes, rivers, dams and canals.
Methods of Irrigation :
(a) Traditional methods : Water available in wells, lakes and canals is lifted up by different methods :
(i) Moat (Pulley system) (ii) Chain pump (iii) Dhekli and (iv) Rahat (Lever system)
(b) Modern methods :
(i) Sprinkler system : Rotating nozzles sprinkle water as it is raining. (Useful for sandy soil)
(ii) Drip Irrigation : Water falls drop by drop. (Best for fruits and vegetables).
(v) Protection from weeds :
-- Undesirable plants that naturally grow with plants are called weeds.
-- Removal of weeds is called weeding. It can be done by different methods as follows :
(i) Manual Weeding : In this method, the weeds are removed from the crop field by pulling them up by hands and throwing away. Manual weeding is carried out by using trowel or Khurpi.
(ii) Spraying Weedicides : Certain chemicals called weedicides (herbicides) like 2,4-D are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds but crops remain unaffected.
(vi) Protection from pests : Pests use organisms that damage the crops. Pest include rodents (rats) and insects like locusts, termites etc. These are controlled by using insecticides and pesticides.
Know the Terms
Agricultural Practices : Cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers over a period of time. These activities or tasks are referred to as agricultural practices.
Agriculture : It is the applied branch of biology which involves the practice of cultivating crops as well as rearing animals.
Ploughing or Tilling : The process of loosening and turning the soil is ploughing or tilling.
Sowing : It is the process of scattering or putting seeds into the soil, so as to grow a new crop plant.
Crop rotation : It is a practice in which different types of crops, especially leguminous or non-leguminous crops are grown alternately in the same field.
Mixed cropping : It is also a method of increasing soil fertility by growing two or more crops together in the same field.
In-text Questions
Q.1. Boojho wants to know
where do we use these tools. (Page 1)
Ans. We use
tools like khurpi, sickle, shovel, plough etc. in agricultural activities.
Q.2. Boojho wants to
know, since we all need food, how can we provide food to a large number of people
in our country? (Page 1)
Ans. Food will
have to be produced on a large scale in order to provide food for a large
population, regular production, proper management and distribution of food are
necessary.
Q.3. Boojho wants to know
why paddy cannot be grown in the summer season? (Page 2)
Ans. Paddy
requires a lot of water. So it is grown only in the rainy season.
Q.4. Paheli asked Boojho
if he knows the tools used for sowing? (Page 3)
Ans. Khurpi,
plough and seed drill are used for sowing.
Q.5 One day Paheli saw
her mother put some gram seeds in a vessel and pour some water on them. After a
few minutes some seeds started to float on the top. She wondered why some seeds
floated on water? (Page 4)
Ans. Damaged
seeds become hollow and are thus lighter which makes them float.
Q.6. Boojho saw one nursery
near his school. He found that little plants were kept in small bags. He wants to
know, Why? (Page 5)
Ans. Seeds of a
few plants such as paddy are first grown in nursery. When small plant lets are
formed they are transplanted in the field manually. Some forest plants and
flowering plants are also grown in the nursery.
Q.7. Boojho went to a farm and saw a healthy
crop growing there. Whereas in the neighbouring farm the plants were weak. He
asked Paheli why do some plants grow better than others ? (Page 5)
Ans. This is because of insufficient manuring and care.
Q.8. Boojho told the farmer that there were
other plants growing along with wheat. He wanted to know if they have been
purposely grown. (Page 10)
Ans. No, in a crop field many other undesirable plants may
grow naturally along with the crop, these are called weeds.
Q.9. Boojho wants to know do weedicides have
any effect on the person handling the weedicide sprayer. (Page 10)
Ans. Yes, sprayer of weedicide may
affect the health of farmers.
Q.10. Boojho wants to know how many tools are
used in cutting of crops? (Page 10)
Ans. It is done by sickle or by a machine called
harvester.
Q.11. One day Paheli saw his mother putting
some dried neem leaves in an iron drum containing wheat. She wondered, why?
(Page 11)
Ans. This prevents the attack by insect pests, bacteria and
fungi.
Q.12. Boojho wants to know what are the
various foods we get from animal sources? (Page 12)
Ans. Milk, meat, egg, honey, wax etc. are found from animal
sources.
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