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Solutions to In Text Questions of NCERT Class 9 Science Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources –
Page 141:
1. What do we get from cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables?
Answer:
We get carbohydrates from cereals which provide us with energy. We get protein from pulses. Vegetables and fruits provide a range of vitamins and minerals in addition to small amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Page 142:
1. How do biotic and abiotic factors affect crop production?
Answer:
Biotic factors like diseases, insects, nematodes can hamper crop production. Abiotic factors like drought, salinity, water logging, heat, cold and frost also adversely affect crop production.
2. What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvements?
Answer:
The desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvements are:
- Tallness and profuse branching for fodder crops.
- Dwarfness is desired in cereals, so that less nutrients are consumed by these crops.
Page 143:
1. What are macro-nutrients and why are they called macro nutrients?
Answer:
Macronutrients are the nutrients which are required in large quantities such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus.
2. How do plants get nutrients?
Answer:
Air supplies nutrients like carbon and oxygen, hydrogen comes from water, and soil supplies the other thirteen nutrients to plants.
Page 144:
1. Compare the use of manure and fertilizers in maintaining soil fertility.
Answer:
Manure helps in enriching the soil with nutrient and organic matter. The bulk of organic matter in manure helps in improving the soil structure. This involves increasing the water holding capacity, drainage and helps in avoiding water logging. Fertilisers provide the soil with greater amounts of nutrients but not organic matter and so continuous use of fertilisers can destroy soil fertility and soil structure.
Page 145:
1. Which of the following conditions will give the most benefits? Why?
(a) Farmers use high-quality seeds, do not adopt irrigation or use fertilizers.
(b) Farmers use ordinary seeds, adopt irrigation and use fertilizer.
(c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertilizer and use crop protection measures.
Answer:
Option (c) will give the most benefits. Option (c) encompasses all the necessary practices for maximizing crop productivity and minimizing losses, making it the most beneficial choice.
Page 146:
1. Why should preventive measures and biological control methods be preferred for protecting crops?
Answer:
Preventive measures and biological control methods for crop protection are preferred due to their environmental safety, reduced chemical residues, promotion of sustainable agriculture, long-term effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and public health benefits.
2. What factors may be responsible for losses of grains during storage?
Answer:
Factors responsible for losses of grains during storage are biotic— insects, rodents, fungi, mites and bacteria, and abiotic— inappropriate moisture and temperatures in the place of storage.
Page 147:
1. Which method is commonly used for improving cattle breeds and why?
Answer:
The method commonly used for improving cattle breeds is cross-breeding. Two breeds which have certain desirable characteristics are cross-bred to produce an offspring which has the desirable characteristics of both parents.
Page 148:
1. Discuss the implications of the following statement: “It is interesting to note that poultry is India’s most efficient converter of low fibre food stuff (which is unfit for human consumption) into highly nutritious animal protein food.”
Answer:
Chickens consume the low-fibre food formulated by using agricultural byproducts, which would otherwise be unfit for human consumption. We in turn consume poultry and eggs which is highly nutritious animal protein food. Thus, the low fibre food stuff is converted into nutritious animal protein which we can consume.
Page 148:
1. What management practices are common in dairy and poultry farming?
Answer:
The management practices which are common in dairy and poultry farming are:
- Well-ventilated and hygienic shelter with proper temperature for dairy animals and poultry.
- Proper diet.
- Protection against diseases and parasitic infections by proper cleaning, sanitation, spraying of disinfectants, vaccinations.
2. What are the differences between broilers and layers and in their management?
Answer:
Broilers are poultry which are raised for meat purposes whereas layers are poultry raised for laying eggs.
| Broilers | Layers |
| (i) They need food which is rich in protein and fat to promote rapid growth. | (i) Fed with balanced diets containing adequate levels of calcium and other nutrients required for eggshell formation. |
| (ii) The level of vitamin A and K is kept high in the poultry feed. | (ii) Fed vitamin rich food. |
| (iii) Typically raised in temperature-controlled poultry houses with proper ventilation. The environment is optimized for rapid growth. | (iii) Need nesting boxes and adequate lighting. |
Page 150:
1. How are fish obtained?
Answer:
Fish are obtained in two ways:
- Capture fishing where fish is caught from natural resources.
- Culture fishing in seawater and freshwater environments like canals, ponds, reservoirs and rivers.
2. What are the advantages of composite fish culture?
Answer:
The advantages of composite fish culture are:
- A combination of five or six fish species can be grown in a single fishpond since they do not compete for food because their food habits are different.
- The entire food available in all the parts of the pond is utilised.
- This results in greater yield of fish.
Page 150:
1. What are the desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production?
Answer:
The desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production are:
- High honey collection and production capacity.
- They should sting less.
- They should stay in the beehives for longer periods and breed well.
2. What is pasturage and how is it related to honey production?
Answer:
Pasturage is the flowers available to the bees for nectar and pollen collection. It is related to honey production because the kinds of flowers will determine the taste and quality of honey.
Solutions to Exercises (Page No 151) of NCERT Class 9 Science Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources –
1. Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.
Answer:
One method of crop production which ensures high yield is mixed cropping. Two or more crops are grown simultaneously on the same piece of land, for example, wheat + gram, or wheat + mustard, or groundnut + sunflower. This reduces risk and gives good yield even in case of failure of one of the crops.
2. Why are manure and fertilizers used in fields?
Answer:
Manure and fertilizers provide essential nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) to the soil. These nutrients are crucial for plant growth and development. Manure also helps in improving the soil structure by providing organic matter.
3. What are the advantages of inter-cropping and crop rotation?
Answer:
The advantages of inter-cropping are:
- Intercropping acts as a natural barrier against the spread of pests and diseases within fields.
- Since the nutrient requirements of plants are different, it ensures maximum utilisation of nutrients supplied.
- Prevents soil erosion.
- There is high yield of crops.
The advantages of crop rotation are:
- Multiple crops can be grown annually.
- Different crops have varying nutrient requirements and contributions to the soil. Crop rotation helps maintain soil fertility by replenishing nutrients.
- Rotating crops disrupts the life cycles of pests and pathogens that target specific plants.
- Different crops have varying root structures and growth patterns, which can help improve soil structure and stability.
4. What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?
Answer:
In plants, genetic manipulation involves cross-breeding between genetically dissimilar plants to achieve certain desired traits. Genetically modified crops give higher yield and quality, pest and disease resistance, can grow in a variety of climatic conditions and mature quickly. They also show desirable agronomic characteristics.
5. How do storage grain losses occur?
Answer:
Storage grain losses occur due to biotic factors such as insects, rodents, fungi, mites and bacteria and abiotic factors such as inappropriate moisture and temperatures in the place of storage.
6. How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?
Answer:
Good animal husbandry practices such as cross-breeding benefit farmers by giving birth to cattle with desirable qualities. Proper cleaning, shelter facilities along with balanced diet and vaccinations result in healthy animals which produce clean milk. These best practices also help raise animals for agricultural work such as tilling, irrigation and carting.
7. What are the benefits of cattle farming?
Answer:
Cattle farming results in good quality milk and meat production. Superior breeds can be raised by cross-breeding. Cattle in also used in agricultural work such as tilling, irrigation and carting. Manure is also obtained from cattle along with byproducts such as skin to be used as leather and wool.
8. For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping?
Answer:
For increasing production in poultry, fisheries and bee-keeping scientific management techniques need to be followed. Cross-breeding, maintaining proper hygiene, proper food and prevention against diseases are some of the techniques.
9. How do you differentiate between capture fishing, mariculture and aquaculture?
Answer:
Capture Fishing: This involves capturing of fish from natural resources.
Mariculture: It is a type of culture fishery where marine fish of high economic value such as mullets, bhetki, prawns etc are farmed in seawater.
Aquaculture: It is a type of culture fishery in fresh water resources and brackish water resources (where sea water and freshwater mix together).
Solutions to All Activities of NCERT Class 9 Science Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources –
1. Complete Activity 12.1 (Page 146). • Visit a nearby garden/agricultural field and make a list of the weeds and the flowers/crops found in the area. Also, make a list of insect pests, if any, infesting the flowers/crops.
Answer:
2. Complete Activity 12.2 (Page 146). • Collect grains/seeds of cereals, pulses and oil seeds and gather information about the seasons in which they are sown and harvested.
Answer:
3. Complete Activity 12.3 (Page 147). Visit a livestock farm. Note the following: (1) Number of cattle and number of different breeds. (2) The amount of daily milk production from the different breeds.
Answer:
4. Complete Activity 12.4 (Page 148). Visit a local poultry farm. Observe types of breeds and note the type of ration, housing and lighting facilities given to them. Identify the growers, layers and broilers.
Answer:
5. Complete Activity 12.5 (Page 150).
• Visit a fish farm in fish breeding season and note the following:
(1) Varieties of fish in fish farm
(2) Types of ponds
(3) Feed ingredients used
(4) Production capacity of the farm If there are no fish farms close to your locality, gather the above information from Internet, by referring books or talking to people who are engaged in fishery.
Answer:
Extra Questions to Complement Solutions to NCERT Class 9 Science Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources –
Very Short Answer Type:
1. Name three types of livestock food.
Answer:
Berseem, oats, sudan grass.
2. When are Kharif crops grown?
Answer:
During rainy season, from June to October.
3. When are rabi crops grown?
Answer:
Winter season, from November to April.
4. What decides the particular farming practice that the farmer decides to use?
Answer:
Financial condition of the farmer.
5. Name the nutrients obtained by plants from air.
Answer:
Carbon and oxygen.
6. Name the plants that can be used as green manure.
Answer:
Sun hemp and guar.
7. Name the type of irrigation used in areas where canal flow is insufficient.
Answer:
River lift systems.
8. What are the harmful agents from which crops need to be protected?
Answer:
Weeds, insects and diseases.
9. Name the two species of Indian cattle.
Answer:
Bos indicus and Bos bubalis.
10. What are the two types of cattle feed?
Answer:
Roughage and concentrates.
11. What are broilers used for?
Answer:
Meat.
12. Name two breeds of poultry that can be cross-bred to develop an improved variety.
Answer:
Aseel (Indian) and Leghorn (foreign).
13. Name a marine organism which produces pearls.
Answer:
Oyster.
14. In addition to honey what is obtained from beehives?
Answer:
Wax.
15. Name an Italian bee variety that gives high yield of honey.
Answer:
A.mellifera
16. What is another name for bee farms?
Answer:
Apiaries.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ):
1. To solve the food problem of the country, which among the following is necessary? (NCERT Exemplar)
(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
Answer: (d) All of the above
2. Which of the following provides us with necessary fats?
(A) Rice
(B) Maize
(C) Black gram
(D) Soybean
Answer: (D) Soybean
3. Which of the following is a kharif crop?
(A) Paddy
(B) Wheat
(C) Gram
(D) Mustard
Answer: (A) Paddy
4. Which of the following in a macronutrient?
(A) Iron
(B) Nitrogen
(C) Manganese
(D) Zinc
Answer: (B) Nitrogen
5. Which of the following is not a weed?
(A) Xanthium
(B) Parthenium
(C) Lemongrass
(D) Cyperinus rotundus
Answer: (C) Lemongrass
6. Which among the following is a shellfish?
(A) Prawn
(B) Rohu
(C) Catla
(D) Bhetki
Answer: (A) Prawn
Short Answer Type:
1. What is the need to improve production from agriculture and animal husbandry in our country?
Answer:
India is a very populous country and as our population increases, the demand for food will also increase. As India is already intensely cultivated, the scope for increasing the land area for cultivation is less without damaging the environment. Hence, it is necessary that we find ways to increase production efficiency for both crops and livestock.
2. What are the three main steps in improving crop yields?
Answer:
The three main steps in improving crop yields are:
- Crop variety improvement
- Crop production improvement
- Crop protection management
3. Name two ways of improving crop varieties.
Answer:
Two ways of improving crop varieties are:
(i) Hydridisation: Crossing is done between genetically dissimilar plants.
(ii) Genetically modified crops: This can be done by introducing a gene that will give the desired characteristics.
4. What are the advantages of intercropping?
Answer:
In inter-cropping a few rows of one crop is alternated with a few rows of a second crop. Since the nutrient requirements of the chosen crops are different, this ensures maximum utilisation of nutrients. It also acts as a barrier for pests and diseases spreading to one crop in a field. Thus, better yields can be obtained.
5. What are some preventive weed control methods?
Answer:
Preventive weed controls methods include proper seed bed preparation, timely sowing of crops, intercropping and crop rotation.
6. What are the different ways in which insect pests affect plants?
Answer:
Insect pests affect the plant in three ways:
(i) They cut the root, stem and leaf.
(ii) They such cell sap from various parts of the plant.
(iii) The bore into stem and fruits and ruin them.
7. What are the preventive measures to mitigate storage losses in agricultural produce?
Answer:
The produce should be properly cleaned before storage. Proper drying of the produce first in the sunlight and then in the shade should be done. Lastly, fumigation using chemicals that can kill pests should be done.
8. Why are foreign breeds of cattle like Jersey and local breeds like Sahiwal cross-bred?
Answer:
Foreign breeds of cattle like Jersey have longer lactation periods and local breeds like Sahiwal show excellent resistance to diseases. The two are cross-bred to get offsprings with both the desired qualities.
9. What are the two types of food requirements for dairy animals?
Answer:
The two types of food requirements for dairy animals are:
(a) Maintenance requirement: Food required to keep the animal healthy.
(b) Milk producing requirement: Food required during the lactation period.
10. What is mariculture? Name two fish produced using mariculture.
Answer:
The farming of marine fish in seawater is called mariculture. Two fish produced using mariculture are mullets and bhetki.
11. What is brackish water?
Answer:
Brackish water is where sea water and freshwater mix together such as estuaries and lagoons.
12. What is composite fish culture?
Answer:
In composite fish culture, a total of 5 or 6 fish species is used in a single fishpond such that they have different food habits and do not compete for food. As a result, food available in the entire pond is used. This results in high yield of fish from the pond.
13. Suppose you decide to farm Rohus, Mrigals and Grass Carps in a pond. Will you succeed and why?
Answer:
Yes, you will succeed because these species of fish have different food habits. Rohus feed in the middle-zone of the pond, mrigals are bottom feeders and Grass Carps feed on the weeds. Thus, they will not complete for food and this will increase the fish yield from the pond.
14. Give one drawback of the composite fish culture system.
Answer:
One drawback of the composite fish culture system is that many of these fish breed only during the monsoon. If fish seed is collected, it can be mixed with that of other species as well and cannot be separated.
Long Answer Type:
1. What are the factors for which crop variety improvement is done?
Answer:
The factors for which crop variety improvement is done is as follows:
(i) Higher Yield: To increase the productivity of crops per acre of land.
(ii) Improved quality: Different crops require different qualities. For example, baking quality is important in wheat, protein quality is important in pulses. The improved crop varieties should show these qualities.
(iii) Biotic and abiotic resistance: Biotic stresses like diseases, insects etc and abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, flooding, extreme temperatures can hamper production. The improved crop varieties should be resistant to these stresses.
(iv) Change in maturity duration: Short maturity duration and uniform maturity is desirable because it is economical, enables multiple rounds of crops to be grown in a year and also makes the harvesting process easy.
(v) Wider Adaptability: The crop varieties should be adaptable to different environment conditions and this enables them to be grown in different environmental conditions.
(vi) Desirable agronomic characteristics: Developing varieties of desired agronomic characters should be done. For example, tallness and profuse branching are desirable for fodder crops and dwarfness is desired in cereals.
2. Describe in brief the several steps of the crop production management process.
Answer:
The several steps of the crop production management process are:
(i) Nutrient management: The soil must be supplied with the necessary micronutrients and macronutrients in the form of manure and fertilizers.
(ii) Irrigation: It must be ensured that crops get water at the right stages by irrigation methods. This can be done via wells, canals, river lift systems and tanks.
(iii) Cropping Patterns: Different patterns of growing crops such as mixed cropping, intercropping and crop rotation must be done for higher overall yield.
3. What are the advantages of organic manure over fertilizers?
Answer:
The advantages of organic manure over fertilizers are as follows:
(i) Soil enrichment: Manure enriches the soil with organic matter, which improves soil fertility and structure. It helps increase the water-holding capacity of sandy soils and improves drainage in clayey soils, thus preventing waterlogging.
(ii) Environmental benefits: Fertilisers canharm the environment by causing pollution and cause soil degradation. By recycling farm waste, manure helps mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture.
(iii) Sustainable farming: Organic manure supports sustainable farming by enriching the soil with nutrients and organic matter. It fosters the growth of beneficial microorganisms, earthworms, and other soil organisms. It thus helps maintain long-term soil fertility.
4. What are the diseases that may affect cattle?
Answer:
The diseases that affect cattle are as follows:
(i) External parasites: They live on the skin and causes skin diseases.
(ii) Internal parasites: Worms affect the stomach and intestine while flukes damage the liver.
(iii) Infectious diseases: They are caused by bacteria and viruses.
Fill in the Blanks:
(a) Green revolution has led to increase in _________ production and white revolution has led to increase in __________ production.
(b) Wheat is a type of _________.
(c) The nutrients required by plants in small quantities are called __________.
(d) Bacteria, fungi and viruses are types of __________.
(e) The period of milk production of a cattle species after the birth of a calf is called __________ period.
Answers:
(a) Green revolution has led to increase in food-grain production and white revolution has led to increase in milk production.
(b) Wheat is a type of cereal.
(c) The nutrients required by plants in small quantities are called micronutrients.
(d) Bacteria, fungi and viruses are types of pathogens.
(e) The period of milk production of a cattle species after the birth of a calf is called lactation period.
Match and Pair:
| Column A | Column B |
| (i) Photoperiod | (a) Milk producing |
| (ii) Milch animals | (b) Surface feeders |
| (iii) Draught animals | (c) Duration of sunlight |
| (iv) Broilers | (d) Farm labour |
| (v) Catlas | (e) Vitamin-rich feed |
Answer:
| Column A | Column B |
| (i) Photoperiod | (c) Duration of sunlight |
| (ii) Milch animals | (a) Milk producing |
| (iii) Draught animals | (d) Farm labour |
| (iv) Broilers | (e) Vitamin-rich feed |
| (v) Catlas | (b) Surface feeders |
++++++++++++++
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on NCERT Solutions to Class 9 Science Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources
Welcome to your one-stop solution hub for all your study needs for Chapter 12! We’ve got you covered with comprehensive answers to all your in-text questions, exercise problems, and activities – all conveniently gathered in one place. But wait, there’s more! We’ve also included an extra set of practice problems to take your learning to the next level. And the best part? You can download our PDF solutions for free, whenever you need them!
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The following topics are covered:
12.1 Improvement in Crop Yields
12.2 Animal Husbandry
Here are the number of questions for the chapter:
(i) 7 Short Questions (Questions 1, 2, 4-8)
(ii) 2 Long Questions (Questions 3, 9)
The whole chapter on how to increase yield from crops and animals needs to be studied. The different steps to be followed to increase yield are to be noted and memorised. Our solutions and extra problem set are an excellent place to start.
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