GSEB Class 9 Science Solutions Chapter 15 Improvement in Food Resources

Question 1. What do we get from cereals, pulses, fruits, and vegetables?
Answer: We obtain the following items from cereals, pulses, fruits, and vegetables:
Cereals give us carbohydrates.
Pulses supply proteins.
Fruits and vegetables give us vitamins and minerals. They also offer small quantities of carbohydrates, proteins, and oil.
In simple words: Cereals give us energy (carbohydrates), pulses give us building blocks (proteins), and fruits/vegetables offer vitamins and minerals, plus some energy and protein.

Exam Tip: Remember the primary nutritional benefits of each food group: cereals for energy, pulses for protein, and fruits/vegetables for vitamins and minerals.

Question 1. How do biotic and abiotic factors affect crop production?
Answer: Living factors such as diseases, insects, and tiny worms, along with non-living factors like dry spells, saltiness, too much water, warmth, cold, and freezing, all lead to a reduction in crop output, which means a lower crop yield.
In simple words: Things like sickness, bugs, bad weather, too much salt or water, and extreme temperatures can all cause crops to grow poorly and yield less.

Exam Tip: Differentiate clearly between biotic (living) factors like pests and diseases, and abiotic (non-living) factors like weather conditions.

Question 2. What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvements?
Answer: The desired farm management features are needed to boost the crop's output. These vary from one crop to another. For instance, for animal feed crops, useful traits include being tall and having many branches. For growing grains that use fewer nutrients, a good characteristic is for them to be efficient in nutrient uptake.
In simple words: Farmers look for specific plant traits to get more crops. For animal feed, tall, bushy plants are good. For grains, plants that use nutrients wisely are preferred.

Exam Tip: When discussing desirable agronomic characteristics, provide specific examples for different crop types (e.g., fodder crops, cereals) to illustrate your points.

Question 1. What are macronutrients and why are they called macronutrients?
Answer: Nutrients can be sorted based on the quantity plants need them in. The essential nutrients that plants require in big amounts are known as macronutrients. For instance, these include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
In simple words: Macronutrients are nutrients plants need a lot of, like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, because they are vital for growth.

Exam Tip: Clearly state that macronutrients are needed in "large quantities" and provide examples like Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

Question 2. How do plants get nutrients?
Answer: Plants need a total of sixteen different nutrients. From this total, two nutrients, carbon and oxygen, are obtained from the air. One nutrient, hydrogen, comes from water. The other thirteen elements are absorbed by the plants from the soil.
In simple words: Plants get carbon and oxygen from the air, hydrogen from water, and the remaining thirteen nutrients from the soil.

Exam Tip: Remember to mention the three main sources of nutrients for plants: air, water, and soil, and specify which nutrients come from where.

Question 1. Compare the use of manure and fertilizers in maintaining soil fertility.
Answer: Manures possess big amounts of organic material but offer fewer nutrients compared to chemical fertilizers. As a result, a farmed field might lose certain nutrients if only manure is applied. The large volume of organic matter in manure improves the soil's structure, while extended use of fertilizers can harm soil structure by killing helpful soil microbes that cycle nutrients. Manures contain much organic matter, which assists the soil in taking in water, but too much fertilizer can cause waterlogging issues due to insufficient organic content.
In simple words: Manure is good for soil structure and water absorption but has fewer nutrients. Fertilizers have many nutrients but can harm soil microbes and cause waterlogging if used too much.

Exam Tip: When comparing, highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of manure and fertilizers, focusing on their impact on soil structure, nutrient content, and microorganisms.

Question 1. Which of the following conditions will give the most benefits? Why?
(a) Farmers use high-quality seeds, do not adopt irrigation, or use fertilisers.
(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: (c) Farmers use quality seeds, adopt irrigation, use fertilizer, and use crop protection measures.
The most beneficial condition will be option (c) because:
• Good quality seeds will help farmers achieve a better yield.
• Suitable irrigation will assist in giving water for the plants' good growth.
• Applying fertilizers will boost the soil's nutrient levels and improve its fertility.
• Using crop protection methods will make sure the plants are not harmed by unwanted weeds and harmful insects.
• This would stop crop damage and bring about better harvests. So, the farmer can get excellent produce and more yield with little or no crop loss.
In simple words: Option (c) is best because using good seeds, enough water, fertilizers, and pest control helps crops grow well, protects them, and gives the farmer a much bigger and better harvest.

Exam Tip: For such questions, identify the option that combines all best practices for agriculture, as these practices are synergistic and lead to optimal results.

Question 1. Why should preventive measures and biological control methods be preferred for protecting crops?
Answer: Preventative actions and natural control techniques should be favored for keeping crops safe because they are kind to the environment. These approaches do not harm the surroundings, unlike chemical methods which can lead to significant environmental contamination.
In simple words: We should choose preventive and biological methods to protect crops because they are eco-friendly and do not pollute the environment, unlike chemical sprays.

Exam Tip: Focus your answer on the environmental benefits of preventive and biological methods compared to chemical alternatives.

Question 2. What factors may be responsible for losses of grains during storage?
Answer: Several factors can cause grain losses during storage:
• Living factors (biotic) such as insects, small animals, molds, tiny arachnids, and germs.
• Non-living factors (abiotic) like unsuitable moisture levels and temperatures where the grains are kept.
In simple words: Grains can be lost in storage due to living things like insects or fungi, or non-living things like incorrect moisture or heat.

Exam Tip: Categorize factors into biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (environmental conditions) for a comprehensive answer.

Question 1. Which method is commonly used for improving cattle breeds and why?
Answer: The common method employed to enhance cattle breeds is artificial insemination. This is a very effective technique because:
• The male reproductive fluid gathered from a bull can be kept frozen for extended durations and can even be moved to far-off locations while still frozen.
• The reproductive fluid from an excellent bull can be used to inseminate many cows to get many high-quality offspring.
In simple words: Artificial insemination is often used to make cattle breeds better. It works well because bull semen can be frozen, transported far, and used to breed many cows from one superior bull.

Exam Tip: When explaining artificial insemination, mention both the storage and transport benefits, and the ability to maximize the genes of a superior bull.

Question 1. Discuss the implications of the following statement: “R is interesting to note that poultry is India's most efficient converter of low fiber foodstuff (which is unfit for human consumption) into highly nutritious animal protein food."
Answer: The statement means that poultry birds feed on low-fiber foods that are not suitable for human consumption. They then offer us eggs and meat (from broilers), which are a very rich source of protein. Poultry helps meet the food requirements for many people by efficiently changing these unusable food sources into valuable animal protein.
In simple words: This means chickens turn food humans can't eat into eggs and meat, which are full of protein, helping to feed many people efficiently.

Exam Tip: Explain how poultry serves as a critical link in the food chain by converting less useful feed into high-value protein sources for human consumption.

Question 1. What management practices are common in dairy and poultry farming?
Answer: Common management methods in dairy and poultry farming include:
• Providing suitable shelter for animals, along with regular cleaning and sanitary conditions.
• Frequent visits from an animal doctor are important.
• Animals should be fed scientifically, ensuring good quality and enough food.
• Choosing high-quality breeds for the animals is essential.
• Correct vaccinations and maintaining records help prevent contagious diseases.
• Good airflow, lighting, and temperature control in the shelters are also vital.
In simple words: Both dairy and poultry farming need good shelters, vet care, proper feeding, selecting strong breeds, vaccinations, record keeping, and controlled environment like ventilation and temperature.

Exam Tip: Categorize common management practices into shelter, health, nutrition, breeding, and environmental control to ensure a comprehensive answer.

Question 2. What are the differences between broilers and layers and in their management?
Answer: Birds grown for meat are known as broilers, while those that lay eggs are called layers. The housing, food, and environmental needs of broilers differ from layers. Broilers are grown on poultry farms for about 6-7 weeks and typically weigh between 700g and 1.5kg. They need a diet rich in protein and fat. High levels of vitamins A and K are included in their food. Efforts are made to prevent deaths and keep their feathers and body quality good. Layers begin producing eggs at 20 weeks old. They are thus kept for longer times, about 500 days, which is their laying period. Layers need sufficient space, good light, and clean surroundings. Their diet includes vitamins, minerals, and specific trace nutrients that impact how well their eggs hatch.
In simple words: Broilers are raised for meat for a short time, needing protein-rich food. Layers are kept for egg production over a longer period, requiring specific nutrients for egg quality and hatchability.

Exam Tip: Clearly distinguish broilers (meat production, short growth period, specific diet for growth) from layers (egg production, longer laying period, specific diet for egg quality and hatchability).

Question 1. How are the fish obtained?
Answer: Fish are acquired through two primary methods:
• Capture fishery means fish are taken from natural places like rivers or seas.
• Culture fishery refers to the practice of fish farming.
In simple words: Fish are obtained either by catching them from natural waters (capture fishery) or by raising them in farms (culture fishery).

Exam Tip: Differentiate between "capture fishery" (natural sources) and "culture fishery" (farming) as the two main ways fish are obtained.

Question 2. What are the advantages of composite fish culture?
Answer: In a composite fish culture system, five or six different types of fish are grown together in one pond. This method is beneficial because:
• The chosen fish species do not fight over food since they eat different things.
• All the food present in various areas of the pond is used up efficiently.
In simple words: Composite fish culture uses multiple fish types in one pond. This is good because they don't compete for food, and all food in the pond gets used efficiently.

Exam Tip: The key advantages of composite fish culture are reduced food competition (due to different food habits) and efficient utilization of all available food resources in the pond.

Question 1. What are the desirable characters of bee varieties suitable for honey production?
Answer: Good traits for bee types used in honey production include:
• Producing more honey.
• Being able to defend themselves from threats and having a less aggressive stinging behavior.
• Bees remaining in one hive for extended times and reproducing successfully.
In simple words: Good honey bees yield a lot of honey, protect themselves well but sting less, and stay in their hives to breed effectively.

Exam Tip: When listing desirable characteristics, focus on traits directly related to honey yield, management ease (less stinging, staying in hive), and population growth (breeding well).

Question 2. What is pasturage and how is it related to honey production?
Answer: Pasturage means the flowers that bees can access to gather nectar and pollen. The overall worth or excellence of the honey relies on the types of pasturage accessible for nectar collection.
In simple words: Pasturage refers to the flowers bees visit for nectar and pollen. The kind and quality of these flowers directly affect how good the honey produced will be.

Exam Tip: Define pasturage clearly and explain its direct correlation with the quality and quantity of honey produced.

In-Text Activities Solved

Question. Activity 15.1 Visit a weed-infested field in the month of July or August and make a list of the weeds and insect pests in the field.
Answer: Here is a list of some common weeds. Students may identify additional weed names.
1. Parthenium (Carrot grass)
2. Lantana camczra
3. Malvastrum coromandelianum
4. Xanthium (Pokhran)
5. Amaranthus
6. Vicia sp.
7. Chenopodium album
8. Melilotus alba
9. Physalis angulata
10. Sesbania bispinosa
11. Solanum americanum
12. Ageratum conyzoides
13. Bidens pilosa
14. Catharanthus pusillus
15. Crotalaria retusa
16. Datura innoxia.
In simple words: This activity asks you to visit a field with weeds and insects during July or August and list the different types you see.

Exam Tip: When performing field activities, carefully observe and accurately record all identified species for a complete report.

Question. Activity 15.2 Make a herbarium of cereals, pulses, and oilseeds and identify the seasons of their sowing and harvesting.
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: This activity requires you to create a collection of dried cereals, pulses, and oilseeds, and then research when each of them is planted and picked.

Exam Tip: When making a herbarium, ensure samples are well-preserved and accurately labeled with details like sowing and harvesting seasons.

Question. Activity 15.3 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: Do it yourself.
In simple words: For this activity, visit a livestock farm and record how many cattle there are, their different breeds, and how much milk each breed produces daily.

Exam Tip: Record precise numbers and breed names during your farm visit to ensure accurate data collection for the activity.

Question. Activity 15.4 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: Complete this activity yourself. Common types of poultry breeds include: Rhode island red, Aseel, and White leghorn. For the type of feed, housing, and lighting facilities, you should investigate these yourself. You can also refer to websites like: http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/animal_husbandry/ani_chikjrower&layer%2Omgt… and https://en.wikipedia.org/wikilPoultry_farming for details on growers, layers, and broilers.
In simple words: This activity involves visiting a poultry farm to observe different breeds, their food, housing, and lighting. You also need to identify which birds are growers, layers, and broilers.

Exam Tip: Pay close attention to the specific roles (growers, layers, broilers) and their corresponding care to understand poultry farm management.

Question. Activity 15.5 Visit a fish farm in fish breeding season and note the following:
1. Varieties of fish in the ponds
2. Types of ponds
3. Feed ingredients being used in the farm
4. Find out what the production capacity of the farm is.
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: Visit a fish farm during breeding season to observe fish varieties, pond types, feed used, and the farm's total production amount.

Exam Tip: During your fish farm visit, focus on collecting specific data for each point to accurately assess the farm's operations and capacity.

Gujarat Board Class 9 Science Improvement In Food Resources Textbook Questions And Answers

Question 1. Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.
Answer: Hybridization is a method of crop creation that guarantees a high yield. This process involves mating two genetically unlike plants, each having a specific desired trait. These two plant types are cross-bred to combine both positive characteristics into one new type. Hybridization can happen in these ways:
• Intervarietal: combining different varieties.
• Interspecific: combining two different species from the same group.
• Intergeneric: combining different major plant groups.
In simple words: Hybridization, which means crossing two different types of plants with good traits, is a way to get high-yield crops. This can be done between varieties, species, or even different groups of plants.

Exam Tip: Define hybridization clearly and describe its three main types to fully explain how it enhances crop yield.

Question 2. Why are manure and fertilizers used in fields?
Answer: The essential nutrients in the soil become reduced because crops are grown continuously. To restore these nutrients in the soil, organic manures and chemical fertilizers are mixed into it.
In simple words: Manure and fertilizers are put in fields because continuous farming removes nutrients from the soil, and these additions help put the nutrients back.

Exam Tip: Explain that continuous cropping depletes soil nutrients, making manures and fertilizers essential for replenishment and maintaining fertility.

Question 3. What are the advantages of Inter-cropping and crop rotation?
Answer: With intercropping, two or more different crops are grown at the same time in the same field following a specific arrangement. This practice lowers competition between plants of the same type. It also helps achieve a higher yield, ensures all supplied nutrients are used fully, and stops pests and diseases from spreading to all plants of one crop type in the field. Crop rotation involves growing two or more crops on a piece of land in a planned sequence. This approach helps to restore soil nutrients, boost crop yield, manage pest problems, and lower the need for nitrogen-based fertilizers.
In simple words: Intercropping (growing multiple crops together) reduces competition and disease spread, improving yield and nutrient use. Crop rotation (changing crops over time) restores soil nutrients, increases yield, controls pests, and lessens fertilizer need.

Exam Tip: For each practice (intercropping and crop rotation), clearly list its distinct benefits, focusing on aspects like resource utilization, pest control, and soil health.

Question 4. What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?
Answer: Genetic manipulation involves adding desired features through methods like cross-breeding, changes in genes, combining DNA, or having multiple sets of chromosomes. This is beneficial in farming as it helps create crop plants with good traits, such as producing more yield and being resistant to diseases.
In simple words: Genetic manipulation means altering plant genes to add good traits like higher yield or disease resistance, which helps farming.

Exam Tip: Define genetic manipulation by listing common techniques (hybridization, mutation, DNA recombination, polyploidy) and explain its primary benefit in agriculture: developing crops with desirable traits for improved yield and resistance.

Question 5. How do storage grain losses occur?
Answer: Losses in stored grains happen because of several factors, which can be either living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic). Biotic factors involve creatures like insects, small animals, fungi, mites, and bacteria. Abiotic factors are unsuitable moisture levels and temperatures in the storage area. These problems lead to:
• a decline in quality
• reduction in weight
• weak sprouting ability
• changes in product color
• low market value
In simple words: Grains are lost during storage due to living pests (like insects or bacteria) and environmental issues (like bad moisture or temperature), which cause quality and weight loss, poor germination, discoloration, and lower market worth.

Exam Tip: Remember to distinguish between biotic and abiotic factors, and then list the direct consequences of these losses on the grain's quality and value.

Question 6. How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?
Answer: Animal husbandry is the organized care and raising of farm animals. Good practices in animal husbandry provide benefits to farmers by:
• Helping to develop improved animal breeds and guaranteeing a greater output.
• Keeping animals healthy and free from sickness, which lowers farming expenses.
In simple words: Good animal husbandry helps farmers by getting them better animal breeds and higher output, while also keeping animals healthy to reduce costs.

Exam Tip: Focus on the twin benefits: improved production (better breeds, higher yield) and reduced costs (healthier, disease-free animals).

Question 7. What are the benefits of cattle farming?
Answer: Cattle farming serves two main purposes:
• Dairy animals are kept to produce milk. These animals include cows, buffaloes, and goats.
• Draught animals are used for moving things and for farm work, such as horses and oxen. These animals perform tasks like plowing and watering fields.
In simple words: Cattle farming is beneficial for two reasons: getting milk from dairy animals like cows, and using draught animals like horses or oxen for transport and farm tasks such as plowing.

Exam Tip: Clearly differentiate the two main benefits of cattle farming: milk production (dairy animals) and labor (draught animals), providing examples for each.

Question 8. For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries, and bee-keeping?
Answer: To boost output, a shared practice across poultry, fisheries, and beekeeping is choosing better breeds or types of birds, fish, and honeybees.
In simple words: To get more produce in poultry, fishing, and beekeeping, it's common to select and use improved varieties of the animals or insects.

Exam Tip: The common factor across these animal husbandry practices for increasing production is the selection of improved varieties or breeds.

Question 9. How do you differentiate between capture fishing, mariculture, and aquaculture?
Answer: In capture fishing, fish are caught from natural water bodies such as rivers and oceans. Mariculture involves farming marine finned fish like mullets, shellfish like prawns, mussels, and oysters, along with seaweeds, in ocean water. Aquaculture refers to the cultivation of aquatic plants and animals for food in any type of water setting, including lakes, ponds, rivers, and oceans.
In simple words: Capture fishing catches wild fish. Mariculture farms sea animals and plants in marine water. Aquaculture farms aquatic plants and animals in any type of water environment.

Exam Tip: Clearly define each term: capture fishing (natural harvest), mariculture (marine farming), and aquaculture (general aquatic farming, freshwater or saltwater).