By

By:-:-Dibyajyoti
DibyajyotiBhattacharya
Bhattacharya
Importance Of Food
• All living organisms need food for health, growth
and development.
• Food provides nutrients like carbohydrates, fats,
protein, vitamins and minerals.
• It is needed to gain energy for everyday tasks.
• Main sources of food:
• Plants – Obtained from agriculture.
• Animals – Obtained from animal husbandry e.g.
cattle framing, poultry farming, fishery, bee-
keeping .
Efforts made to meet the increase in food demands

• Green Revolution – The introduction of modern

technology and equipment, usage of fertilizers and
high-quality seeds to increased food grain
production .
• White Revolution – Increasing the growth of milk
production by introducing dairy development
programs.
• The introduction of these revolutions has led to an
increased use of natural resources hence now
sustainable methods of increasing crops and
livestock efficiency are also required.
Sustained livelihood
• For sustained livelihood, one should
undertake mixed farming, inter
cropping, and integrated farming
practices for example, combining
agriculture with livestock/ poultry/
fisheries/bee-keeping.
Examples of some crops and its value
Crop Examples Value
Cereals Wheat, rice, maize, millets etc. Carbohydrates
 

Pulses Gram(Chana), black Proteins

  gram(Urad),green
gram(Moong), pigeon
pea(Arhar), lentil(Masoor)
Oilseeds Soyabean, groundnut, Fats
  sesame, castor, mustard,
  sunflower.

Vegetables, Spices and Carrot, coriander, orange, Minerals, vitamins and small
Fruits Spinach. amounts of Carbohydrates,
  fats and proteins.
 

Fodder crops
Fodder crops like berseem, oats or Sudan grass are raised as
food for the livestock.
• Different crops require different conditions
(temperature, moisture, etc.), different photo-
period (duration of sunlight) for their growth of
plants, flowering ,and completing life cycle.
• Two types of crops:-
• i) Kharif crops
• ii) Rabi crops
• (i) Kharif crops: The crops which are grown during
the monsoon (June to October) are called Kharif
crops. Black gram, cotton, green gram, maize,
paddy, pigeon pea, soybean, are all examples of
Kharif crops.

Black gram Soybean Pigeon pea Maize

• (ii) Rabi crops: These crops are grown during
November to April. Rabi crops are known as
winter crops. Example: wheat, gram, peas,
mustard, linseed etc.

Peas wheat Gram Mustard

The major groups of activities for
improving crop yields can be
classified as :
(i) Crop variety improvement.
(ii) Crop production improvement.
(iii) Crop protection management.
Crop Variety Improvement
• In this approach, crops are selected on the basis of
their characteristics. For instance,
• How well they can response to fertilizers, can they
produce high yield, how they resist diseases and
able to give quality product .
Different methods of Crop Variety Improvement
1.Hybridisation - It is the process of crossing between
two or more genetically dissimilar plants to produce a
new variety with good properties of both the crops.
Different methods of Crop Variety Improvement
1.Hybridisation can be three types of crossing
• Intervarietal - Between two varieties of a plant
• Interspecific - Between two species belonging to
same genus
• Inter Generic - Between species of different genus
• 2. Introduction of Gene – Another way of
improving the crop is by introducing a gene that
would provide the desired characteristics. This
results in genetically modified crops.
• Factors on which Crop Yield Generally Depends
The seeds used by the farmers -
• The seeds that are of similar variety are
preferable.
• Climate or Weather Conditions - Crops that can
sustain diverse climatic conditions are preferable.
• The quality of the Soil - Crops that can survive in
a highly saline soil are preferable.
• Availability of Water - Crops should be grown as
per the availability of water in the region.
Properties to be possessed by improved seeds

(i) Higher yield: To increase the productivity of the

crop per acre.
(ii) Improved quality: Quality of crop products vary
from crop to crop. For Example, pulses have high
protein quality, oilseeds have oil quality fruits and
vegetables must have preserving quality.
(iii) Biotic & Abiotic resistances : Crop production
reduces due to biotic stresses referred to the
diseases, insects and nematodes and abiotic
stresses referred to floods, drought, heat and cold
weather conditions.
(iv) To shorten the maturity period of crops:- This will
allow farmers to grow a variety of crops in a year because
shorter the duration of the crop from showing to harvesting
it will be more economically benefited to the farmer .
• It will reduce the cost of crop production .
• Uniform maturity will make the harvesting process easy and
reduce the loss of produce during harvesting .
(v) Wider adaptability : Crops which can grow in
different conditions, will help in setting high
production.
(vi) Desired agronomic traits: Crops which contain
desired agronomic traits i.e. height, profuse
branching for fodder crops ,dwarfness is
desired in cereals for high production.
Crop Production Improvement

• It involves different practices carried out by farmers

to achieve higher standards of crop production.
• Different farmers can have small or large farms on
which they can use different farming practices. The
choice of farming practices would depend upon the
availability of financial resources . Hence, production
practices can be divided into different levels
1. No cost Production
2. Low-cost Production
3. High-cost Production
Crop Production Improvement
The different practices are:
(i) Nutrient management
(ii) Irrigation
(iii) Cropping patterns
Nutrition Management
Essential nutrients for plants
Types Of Nutrient

• The nutrients that are required in large

quantities are called Macronutrients.
• The nutrients that are required in small
quantities by the plants are
called Micronutrients. 
Do you know ?
• What happens if plants lack in these
nutrients?
• The yield may be affected as plants
won't be able to reproduce.
• Plant growth can be affected plants
can get diseases easily.
Functions or Features of Manure

• Manure mainly contains organic matter which

increases the fertility of the soil.
• It also contains nutrients in small quantity which are
then supplied to the soil on adding manure.
• The soil structure also enhance is due to manure. It
tends to hold more amount of water in sandy soil.
• The organic matter avoids waterlogging and drainage
in clayey soil.
• Manure is purely organic hence using more manure is
completely healthy for the plant as well as the
environment.
• Using manure is a way to recycle farm waste.
Various forms of Manures

• (i) Compost: The process in which animal excreta

(like cow dung), kitchen waste, plant remains, waste
food, sewage waste etc. are decomposed in pits is
known as composting.
• (ii) Vermicompost: Compost prepared by using
earthworms to hasten the process of decomposition
of plants and animals refuse is called vermicompost.
• iii) Green manure: Some plants like sun hemp, guar
etc. are grown and after sometime mulched by
ploughing in the field. These green plants turn into
green manures. They are rich in nitrogen and
phosphorus.
Green Manure Crops
Features of Fertilizers

• Fertilizers are commercially produced plant nutrients.

• They have large amount of nutrients like nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium.
• Fertilizers are easily absorbed by the plants since
they are soluble in water. It is costly.
• Fertilizers provide important nutrients such as
nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus to the soil.
• They are used to ensure good vegetative growth like
growth of leaves, branches and flowers, giving rise to
healthy plants .
• They are responsible for high yields.
Using fertilizers in fields
Precautions with Fertilizers

• Fertilizers should be applied in a proper amount as

an excess of fertilizers is not good for the plants.
• Proper precautions regarding the time of applying
fertilizers should be taken.
• Excess use of fertilizers can lead to water pollution
as the extra fertilizers are not fully absorbed by the
plants and get washed away during irrigation.
• Excess use of fertilizers can destroy the fertility of
the soil because the organic matter in the soil is not
replenished and micro-organisms in the soil are
harmed by the fertilizers used.
• What is organic farming?
• Organic farming is a farming system with minimal
or no use of chemicals as fertilizers, herbicides,
pesticides etc. and with a maximum input of
organic manures, recycled farm wastes like straw
and livestock excreta uses of bio-agents such as
blue green algae as biofertilizers, neem leaves and
turmeric as bio-pesticides in grain storage. Healthy
cropping systems like mixed cropping, inter-
cropping and crop rotation to control insects, pests
and weeds.it also helps to provide nutrients .
Irrigation

• It is a process of application of water in controlled amounts at

regular intervals to the crops. Irrigation methods are adopted
at various places especially in areas of low rainfall to ensure
the proper growth of crops. 
Methods of Irrigation
• Wells: Two types of wells are used for irrigation:
• Tubewell: Tube wells are tube-like structures that are used
to extract the underground water from deeper strata.
• Dug Wells: Dug wells are the wells dug in the ground in
order to extract the underground water.
• Water from dug well and tube well both is lifted by using
pumps.
• Canals: A canal system is a network created to
move water from one source of water such as a
stream or reservoir. The main canal is divided into
branches that spread through the fields so that
water can be distributed everywhere.
• River Lift System: A river lift system is used to
draw water from the rivers directly for irrigational
purposes. This system is successful in areas where
the canal system is not successful.
• Tanks: Farmers often use small storage reservoir
that can store as well as supply water in the small
fields. 
Irrigation

• Rainwater Harvesting: Instead of just letting the

rainwater flow away farmers often store it in the
reservoir tank. This water can be used for
irrigational purposes. 
• Watershed Management: Small dams are built on
the rivers and streams in order to increase the
ground water levels of the area.
• These check dams prevent water from flowing
away and causing soil erosion. 
Types of Irrigation
Rainwater Harvesting &
Watershed Management
Tanks
• Why do droughts
occur?
• The scarcity of water or
low rainfall often
results in drought
conditions. If farmers
do not use any
irrigation methods and
only rely on rainfalls,
drought poses a serious
threat to the crops.
Areas with light soils
also tend to face
drought-like conditions
as soils cannot retain
water.
Cropping Patterns

Different patterns are used to maximize the

production from crop field.
• The different patterns are:
• (i) Mixed cropping
• (ii) Inter cropping
• (iii) Crop rotation
• (i) Mixed cropping: Growing two or more than
two crops together on the same piece of land
is called mixed cropping.
Crop combination used in mixed cropping
• Examples: Cereals such as (wheat) and
Leguminous crop such as pulses(gram), wheat
and mustard, groundnut and sunflower,
Cotton and moong bean.
• Objective of mixed cropping : Is to minimize
the risk and insure against the crop failure
due to abnormal weather condition .
• How crops are chosen?
• Care is taken to select crops that do not
compete with each others for light , Nutrients,
and Water for example:-
a) One crop needs comparatively lesser water
and nutrients than other.
b) One crop is of long duration and the other crop
is of short duration .
Thus, If one crop fails due to shortage of moisture
or nutrient the other crops can cover the risk of
complete failure .
• Advantage:
• 1) The risk of total crop failure due to uncertain
monsoon is reduced.
• 2) The fertility of the soil is increased and
ultimately yield of the crop is too improved .
• 3) Farmers tend to harvest a variety of produce
such as cereals , pulses or vegetables to meet
the various requirement of family or of an
agricultural farm .
• 4) Chances of pest infestation are greatly
reduced.
Mixed cropping
Inter cropping
(ii) Intercropping is a practice of growing two or more crops
simultaneously in a same field in definite pattern with the
objectives of increasing productivity per unit area.
Examples: Soyabean +maize, or Finger millet (Bajra)+Cow
pea (lobia).
N.B:-
• Intercropping is an improved version of mixed cropping.
• All the crop combinations in mixed cropping can also be
practiced in intercropping .
• But row pattern are definite, i.e. 1:1,1:2,1:3. It means after
one row of main crops one ,two, or three rows of
intercropping can be grown.
Inter cropping
• How crops are chosen?
• Should require different nutrients so that all nutrients of soil are
used.
• Advantages:
• maximum utilization of the nutrients.
• Prevents pests and diseases from spreading to all the plants
belonging to one crop in a field.
• Low risk. If one crop fails, others may still survive.
• It makes better use of the natural resources of sunlight, land and
water.
• Since the seeds of the two crops are not mixed before sowing,
fertilizers can be placed as per the needs of the crops.
Inter cropping
iii) Crop rotation: Crop rotation is policy of growing
different crops one after another on the same field.
• If same crop is grown again and again on the same field,
same nutrients are extracted again and again. So we
should choose different crops so that all nutrients of soil
are used.
N.B:-
• Definition of crop rotation :- The practice of
growing of different crops on a piece of land in a
preplanned succession is known as crop rotation.
crop rotation
How crops are chosen?
• Availability of moisture through rain or irrigation .
• Status of nutrients in the soil .
• Duration of crop- short or long.
• Availability of inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides,
human power and machine power.
Advantages of crop rotation:
• (i) Soil fertility is maintained.
• (ii) It controls pests and weeds.
• (iii) Several crops can be grown in succession with
only one soil preparation.
Crop Protection Improvement

→ To protect crops against diseases caused

organisms and other harming factors is called crop
protection.
• Methods used to control the problems:
(i) Pest control during growth
(ii) Storage of grains
N.B
Pest:- Unwanted plants, animals, insects, germs,
or other organisms that interfere with human
activity through bite, destroy food crops, damage
property or make our lives more difficult.
• Factors that can affect the production of crops are
weeds, pests and diseases.
• Weeds: Weeds are unwanted plants in the cultivated
field. For example, Xanthium (Gokhroo), Parthenium
(Gajar ghas) and Cyperinus rotundus (motha).
• They compete for food, space and light.
• Weeds take up nutrients and reduce the growth of
the crop.
• Therefore, removal of weeds from cultivated fields
during the early stages of crop growth is essential for
a good harvest.
Xanthium (Gokhroo)

Nutgrass - Cyperus rotundus.

Considered a pest plant. 

Parthenium
• Weed Control Methods:
• The most effective method is the mechanical removal
i.e. Weeds can be uprooted manually by the farmers,
ploughing and also burning of weeds from crop
fields .
• Preventive methods such as proper seed bed
preparation, timely sowing of crops, inter-cropping
and crop rotation also help in weed control..
• Chemical methods:-Weedicides or herbicides are
sprayed on the fields that can kill them as they do not
harm any crops.
• Common examples of weedicides are 2,4-D(2,4-
Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid).
Uprooting weeds manually with trowel or
Khurpi or harrow(a comb like implement)
Insect pest control during growth
• Pest is any destructive organism which can
destroy or harm crops or products obtained
from them.
• Several insect pests can affect the crops in
different ways:
• They can cut the parts of the crops like fruits,
leaves and stems.
• They bore into stem and fruits .
• They suck the cell sap from various parts of
the plants and hence destroy them.
• Pest Controlling Methods:
• Pesticides and insecticides are sprayed on the
fields to kill the pests.
• Crops should be checked timely to ensure
safety against pests.
• Usage of resistant varieties of crops.
• Sometimes summer ploughing is
also used to destroy the weeds and
pests.
(iii) Diseases: Microorganisms such as fungi,
bacteria and viruses often attack the crops
and affect them. These pathogens can be
transmitted to the crops via soil, water or
air.
N.B:- Pathogens: Any organism such as
bacteria, fungi and viruses which cause
diseases in plants are called pathogens.
• Weeds, insects and
diseases can be controlled
by various methods.
• One of the most
commonly used methods
is the use of pesticide,
which include herbicides,
insecticides, and
fungicides.
• These chemicals are
sprayed on crop plants or
used for treating seeds
and soil .
Storage of Grains

Factors that lead to storage losses of crops are:

• Biotic Factors: Like insects, fungi, bacteria, rodents
and mites.
• Abiotic Factors: Like excessive temperature and
moisture.
• How to prevent storage loss?
• Maintaining the storage houses properly.
• Cleaning the grains properly before storage.
• Drying the grains properly before storage in
sunlight as well as in the shade.
• Fumigation using chemicals that can kill pests.
Steel Grain Storage Silos
• Identify the nutrients present in different foods, in order to
have a balanced diet.
1) Which of these foods are rich in carbohydrates?
(a) gram
(b) wheat
(c) soyabean
(d) pigeon pea
• Correct Answer: Option (b)
2) Which combination of foods would provide a balanced diet?
(a) pea, black gram, lentil, rice
(b) rice, maize, millets, sorghum
(c) rice, lentil, groundnut, vegetables and fruits
(d) soyabean, groundnut, mustard, sunflower
• Correct Answer: Option (c)
• Recognize growth needs of different crops like
temperature, in order to produce them
effectively.
3) Which of these crops require more water to
grow?
(a) peas
(b) gram
(c)paddy
(d)wheat
• Correct Answer: Option (c)
4)An experiment is designed to understand the growth requirements of crops.
Mustard seeds were chosen and were exposed to different temperature conditions.
The table lists the locations of the seeds sown with respective temperature
conditions.

At which location would the mustard grow most effectively?

(a)location A
(b)location B
(c)location C
(d)location D
• Correct Answer: Option (a)
• Discover ways of breeding a better variety of seeds, in order
to improve quality of crops.
5) Crop Y is grown only in few areas due to specific temperature
requirements. To increase the productivity of crop Y, it is
recommended to develop its different varieties. Which feature
should be included while developing the different varieties of
crop Y in order to increase its productivity?
(a) Developing varieties with strong biotic resistance.
(b) Developing varieties with less dependence on water.
(c)Developing varieties with extended maturity
duration.
(d) Developing varieties adaptable to different climatic
conditions.
• Correct Answer: Option (d)
Enlist various ways of enriching the soil in order to increase crop yield.
6) What is the main input used in organic farming to enrich the soil?
(a) manure
(b) fertilizers
(c) herbicides
(d) pesticides
• Correct Answer: Option (a)
7) A soil sample has adequate water holding capacity but is deficient in
phosphorous and potassium. Which of these would improve the quality
of crops grown in that field?
(a) Removing weeds
(b) Applying fertilizers
(c) Modifying irrigation system
(d) Growing two different crops at the same time
• Correct Answer: Option (b)
• List down ways of irrigating a piece of land, in order to provide
adequate water to all crops.
8) Which of these the run-off from smaller catchment areas?
(a) tanks
(b) canals
(c) dug wells
(d) tube wells
• Correct Answer: Option (a)
9) Town X is situated at the banks of a river. Due to inadequate release
from the reservoir , often the agricultural farms of the town suffer from
crop failures. Which type of irrigation would be suitable for town X?
(a) Building tanks
(b) Constructing canals
(c) Introducing river lift system
(d)Irrigating fields through dug wells
• Correct Answer: Option (c)
• Analyze ways/ combinations of growing crops in order to maximize yield.
10) Which statement correctly defines mixed cropping?
(a)growing two or more crops on the same field
(b)growing different varieties of same crop on the same field
(c)growing different crops on rotation basis on the same field
(d)growing two or more crops on the same field in a definite pattern
• Correct Answer: Option (a)
11) A farmer in town X changed the cropping pattern of the farm. Earlier the
farm had only soyabean but then the farm was divided into rows of different
crops. Two rows of soyabean and alternate two rows had maize and the next
two had cowpea. What would be the most likely effect of the new cropping
pattern?
• (a) Increase in yield
• (b) Degradation of land
• (c) Increased growth of weeds
• (d) Reduced intake of nutrients by crops
• Correct Answer: Option (a)
• Develop better storage strategies for crops, in order to minimize storage
losses.
12) What should one select to store grains at home in order to
prevent any spoilage?
(a)jute bags
(b)plastics bags
(c)earthen pots
(d)airtight glass jars
• Correct Answer: Option (d)
13) Which strategy would help to minimize loss due to improper
storage?
(a)adding manure to the produce
(b)drying the produce in sunlight before storage
(c)keeping the produce in open sacs to maintain airflow
(d)covering the produce with a wet cloth before putting on the lid of the
container
• Correct Answer: Option (b)
• Describe ways/ organisms by which crops get
affected, in order to develop a solution to prevent
them from attacking crops.
14) Which of these adversely affects the health of
the crops?
(a)weeds
(b)nutrients
(c)vitamins
(d)fertilizers
• Correct Answer: Option (a)