Chapter-15 Improvement in Food Resources

Explanation:

Cereals serve as a fundamental source of carbohydrates and provide a primary source of energy. Pulses are an excellent source of protein, which is essential for growth and development. Vegetables and fruits are packed with a variety of nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that contribute to overall development.

Explanation:

Crop production can be significantly affected by two primary factors:

• Biotic factors such as insects, rodents, pests, and other similar organisms that can spread diseases and cause a reduction in crop yield.

• Abiotic factors such as humidity, temperature, moisture, wind, rain, flood, and various other factors that can cause damage to the crop.

Explanation:

To improve crops, certain important agronomic features are necessary, including:

• Abundant branching combined with height in any fodder crop.

• Short stature in any cereal crop.

Explanation:

Plants require certain elements in relatively large quantities, known as macro-nutrients. The macro-nutrients essential for plants are: 

• Constituents of protoplasm

• Phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulphur, which are present in proteins

• Calcium, which is found in the cell wall

• Magnesium, which is a vitadril component of chlorophyll.

Explanation:

For plants to thrive, they require 16 essential nutrients. While water supplies carbon and oxygen, the remaining nutrients are sourced from the soil.

Explanation:

The benefits of manure for soil health are numerous, including: 

• Enhancement of soil quality through the addition of nutrients.

• Provision of additional organic matter, or humus, which can increase water retention capacity in sandy soils and improve drainage in clayey soils.

• Reduction in soil erosion.

• Provision of food for beneficial soil bacteria that promote plant growth.

On the other hand, the use of fertilizers can have negative impacts on soil health, such as:

• Drying and pulverizing of the soil, leading to increased rates of erosion.

• Decrease in organic matter and soil porosity, which can limit proper oxygen supply to plant roots.

• Alteration of soil pH towards more basic or acidic conditions.

Explanation:

The option that offers the most benefits is (c), as the use of high-quality seeds alone is inadequate. Proper irrigation, fertilization, and protection against biotic factors are also essential for optimal crop growth.

Explanation:

Excessive use of chemicals can result in environmental issues. As a result, farmers prefer biological methods to safeguard crops from pests, insects, and rodents, while simultaneously increasing yield. Because chemicals can be detrimental to both plants and the animals that consume them, bio-pesticides are utilized as a safer alternative for crop protection.

Explanation:

Factors of a biological and environmental nature can cause the loss of grains during storage, such as:

• Rodents

• Pests

• Insects

• Fungi

• Bacteria

• Sunlight

• Flood

• Rain

• Temperature

• Moisture

Explanation:

The most commonly used approach to enhancing the quality of cattle breeds is cross-breeding. This method involves mating two superior cattle breeds to produce a new and improved offspring variety. During cross-breeding, great attention is given to ensuring that the resultant offspring is highly productive, resistant to climatic conditions, and of superior quality.

Explanation:

Some important aspects of maintaining the health and wellbeing of dairy animals and poultry birds include:

• Providing a clean and hygienic shelter that is well-designed.

• Supplying high-quality and nutritious food and fodder to the animals.

• Ensuring that animals are protected from diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi through prevention and treatment.

• Providing animals with access to a well-ventilated shelter that receives ample sunlight.

Explanation:

Broilers

A broiler is a type of poultry bird that is raised for its meat. Broilers are fed a diet that is rich in protein and contains sufficient fat. Additionally, poultry feed for broilers is often fortified with high levels of vitamins A and K.

Layers

A layer is a type of poultry bird that is raised for its eggs. The housing, environmental conditions, and nutritional requirements for layers differ from those of broilers. Layers require adequate lighting and a sufficient amount of space to thrive.

Explanation:

The goal of poultry farming is to raise domestic birds for the purpose of producing eggs and chicken meat. These birds are fed with animal feed that primarily consists of roughage, which helps to produce high-quality feathers, eggs, and chicken meat, as well as nutrient-rich manure. Because of this, it is often said that poultry is India's most efficient converter of low-fiber food into highly nutritious animal protein food.

Explanation:

Fish can be obtained through two methods:

1. Capture fishing: This involves obtaining fish from natural resources.

2. Culture fishery: This involves raising fish in freshwater ecosystems such as rivers, ponds, and lakes, as well as in marine environments.

Explanation:

Composite fish culture has several advantages, including:

• Ability to culture 5 or 6 different fish species in a single pond without competition for food

• Complete utilization of food resources

• Increased survival rates of fish 

• Higher yields of fish.

Explanation:

There are certain desirable traits that beekeepers look for when selecting bees for honey production. These include:

• High honey yield capacity.

• Longevity of bees within the hive.

• Low tendency to sting.

• Resistance to diseases.

Explanation:

Pasturage refers to the availability of flowers that bees can easily access for pollen collection and nectar. The type of flowers that are available determines the taste of the honey, making pasturage an important factor in the honey-making process.

Explanation:

One method used for improving crop yields is plant breeding, which involves breeding plants to develop better crop varieties. To achieve this, plants with desired traits are selected from different regions, and then crossbred or hybridized to produce crops with the desired characteristics.

Explanation:

To enhance soil quality and increase crop yields, farmers often use manures and fertilisers. In addition to controlling diseases, these substances provide the soil with essential nutrients, such as potassium, phosphorous, and nitrogen, that are crucial for the healthy growth of plants. The primary benefit of using manures and fertilisers is the improvement of soil fertility.

Explanation:

Inter-Cropping:

Inter-cropping can provide several benefits such as pest and rodent control, decreased soil erosion, reduced crop loss with high yield, and lower water requirements. 

Crop-Rotation:

Crop rotation enables farmers to grow two or three crops per year, use minimal fertilisers for pulse crops that acquire nitrogen directly from the atmosphere, grow fruits and vegetables easily, and make the best use of land with a sufficient supply of nutrients.

Explanation:

The process of transferring genes from one organism to another is known as genetic manipulation. In this process, a specific gene for a desired trait is inserted into the chromosome cell, resulting in the development of a transgenic plant.

For instance, BT Cotton is a genetically modified crop that contains bacterial genes to protect it from insects. Similar genes have been inserted into other crops such as brinjal, cabbage, rice, cauliflower, and maize to provide them with protection against insects.

Explanation:

Grain losses during storage can be attributed to both biotic and abiotic factors.

Abiotic factors include conditions such as:

• Humidity

• Air

• Temperature

• Flood

• Wind

Biotic factors, on the other hand, include pests like:

• Insects

• Pesticides

• Bacteria

• Birds

• Mites

• Rodents

Explanation:

Animal husbandry, when practiced well, offers various benefits to farmers such as:

• Higher quality of cattle production

• Improved milk quality

• Utilization of animals in farming activities such as tilling, irrigation, and carting.

Explanation:

Cattle farming offers several advantages, such as:

• Use of cattle for agricultural activities 

• Production of good quality cattle for milk and meat

• The skin of cattle is utilized in the leather and wool industry.

Explanation:

To increase production, cross-breeding techniques are implemented in poultry, fisheries, and beekeeping. Proper and regular maintenance methods also contribute to improving production.