CBSE Class 9 Science Improvement in food resources Sure Shot Questions Set 01

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ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS SET - 1
CHAPTER - 15
IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD RESOURCES

Fill In the Blanks

1. ______________ and ______________ are the main sources of nutrient supply to crops.
Answer: Soil and water.

Teacher's Note:
a) Soil supplies most of the mineral nutrients that plants absorb through their roots.
b) Water carries these dissolved nutrients into the plant.

2. ______________ and ______________ provide us with all our animal and plant food.
Answer: Land and water.

Teacher's Note:
a) Crops grow on land, and fish and aquatic animals depend on water.
b) All our food, plant or animal, ultimately depends on these two resources.

3. The science of growing vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants is called ______________.
Answer: Horticulture.

Teacher's Note:
a) Horticulture is a branch of agriculture.
b) Floriculture, olericulture and pomology are its sub-branches.

4. Composting done using earthworms is called ______________.
Answer: Vermicomposting.

Teacher's Note:
a) 'Vermi' means worms, and the earthworms convert organic waste into nutrient-rich manure.
b) The final product is called vermicompost.

5. Cereals provide us ______________ (carbohydrates/proteins/fats).
Answer: Carbohydrates.

Teacher's Note:
a) Rice, wheat and maize are rich in starch, which is a carbohydrate.
b) Cereals are the main source of energy in our diet.

6. Pulses give us ______________ (carbohydrates/proteins/fats).
Answer: Proteins.

Teacher's Note:
a) Pulses such as gram, moong and masoor are rich in protein.
b) That is why pulses are called the poor man's meat in many parts of India.

7. ______________ and ______________ are a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
Answer: Vegetables and fruits.

Teacher's Note:
a) Green leafy vegetables are rich in iron and vitamins.
b) Fruits such as oranges provide vitamin C.

8. Pests, nematodes etc. are ______________ (biotic/abiotic) factors that affect crop production.
Answer: Biotic.

Teacher's Note:
a) Biotic factors are living organisms that harm crops.
b) Abiotic factors are non-living, such as drought, frost and flood.

9. In order to get maximum returns, different crop combinations are grown on the same field in a pre-planned succession. This process is called ______________.
Answer: Crop rotation.

Teacher's Note:
a) Crop rotation keeps soil fertility high because different crops take different nutrients.
b) A legume in the rotation adds nitrogen to the soil.

10. Apis dorsata and Apis florae are varieties of ______________(Indian/Italian) bee.
Answer: Indian.

Teacher's Note:
a) The species name in the paper is written as 'florae'; the correct name is Apis florea.
b) Apis dorsata is the rock bee, and Apis florea is the little bee, both native to India.

11. Apis mellifera is an ______________ (India/Italian) variety of honey bee used for commercial production of honey.
Answer: Italian.

Teacher's Note:
a) Apis mellifera is the Italian bee, which gives more honey than Indian species.
b) It is preferred for commercial beekeeping.

12. Crossing between genetically dissimilar plants is called ______________.
Answer: Hybridisation.

Teacher's Note:
a) Hybridisation combines useful characters from two parent plants.
b) The resulting hybrid can show better yield and disease resistance.

13. Nutrients required by plants in large quantities are called ______________.
Answer: Macro-nutrients.

Teacher's Note:
a) Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the main macro-nutrients.
b) Nutrients needed in small quantities are called micro-nutrients.

14. Organic substances of animal or plant origin that is added to the soil to increase its fertility and structure are called ______________.
Answer: Manures.

Teacher's Note:
a) Manures are bulky and add humus, which improves soil structure.
b) They release nutrients slowly, so their effect lasts longer.

15. The practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field is called ______________.
Answer: Mixed cropping.

Teacher's Note:
a) In mixed cropping, the crops are sown together without a fixed row pattern.
b) It reduces the risk of total crop failure.

16. Unwanted plants in the cultivated field are called ______________.
Answer: Weeds.

Teacher's Note:
a) Weeds compete with crops for water, nutrients, light and space.
b) They must be removed at the right time, before they set seed.

17. Cattle used for farm labour is called ______________.
Answer: Draught animals.

Teacher's Note:
a) Bullocks, camels and horses are draught animals.
b) They pull ploughs and carts.

18. Vitamin _____ and ____ (A, B, C, D , K) levels are kept high in the poultry feeds.
Answer: Vitamin A and vitamin D.

Teacher's Note:
a) Vitamins A and D are important for the growth and health of birds.
b) Poultry feed is also supplemented with minerals and other vitamins.

19. Bos indicus are the species of ______________.
Answer: Cattle (zebu cattle).

Teacher's Note:
a) Bos indicus is the zebu, which has a hump on its back.
b) Indian cattle breeds such as Sahiwal and Red Sindhi belong to this species.

20. Pomphret, mackerel, tuna, sardines, and Bombay duck are examples of ______________(marine/river) fish.
Answer: Marine.

Teacher's Note:
a) These fish live in the sea.
b) Catla, rohu and hilsa are examples of river or freshwater fish.

21. Marine fish capture is done by fishing nets guided by ______________ and ______________.
Answer: Sonar and satellite.

Teacher's Note:
a) Sonar detects fish shoals under water.
b) Satellite information shows the areas where fish are likely to be found.

22. Micro-nutrients or Food additives strengthen ______________ system of the cattle and improve their ______________ and stimulate digestion.
Answer: Immune; productivity.

Teacher's Note:
a) A strong immune system protects cattle from diseases.
b) Better digestion improves the milk and meat productivity of the animals.

23. The basic advantages of inter-cropping are that it maintains soil ______________ and controls ______________.
Answer: Fertility; pests.

Teacher's Note:
a) A legume in inter-cropping adds nitrogen and maintains soil fertility.
b) Mixed crops make it harder for pests to spread through the field.

24. Red Sindhi and Sahiwal are breeds of ______________.
Answer: Cattle (cows).

Teacher's Note:
a) Both are good milch breeds of cows.
b) Sahiwal is a dairy breed that originated in the Punjab region.

25. Xanthium, Cyperinus rotundus and Parthenium plants generally grow along paddy plants. Such plants are called ______________.
Answer: Weeds.

Teacher's Note:
a) Cyperus rotundus is a weed known as motha.
b) The species name in the paper is written as 'Cyperinus'; the correct name is Cyperus rotundus.

26. What is domestication?

Answer: Domestication is the process of taming wild animals and plants and raising them under human control for human use.

Teacher's Note:
a) Wheat, rice, cattle and poultry were all domesticated long ago.
b) Domesticated plants and animals show characters different from their wild ancestors.

27. What are the major sources of food? Name the commercial practices we perform to obtain the food.

Answer:
1. The major sources of food are crop plants and animals.
2. The commercial practices used to obtain food are agriculture (crop production) and animal husbandry (rearing of animals, including dairy, poultry, fish and beekeeping).

Teacher's Note:
a) Crop plants give cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables.
b) Animal husbandry gives milk, eggs, meat and fish.

28. Name the revolution which led to better and efficient production and availability of milk.

Answer: White Revolution (Operation Flood).

Teacher's Note:
a) Operation Flood was started under the National Dairy Development Board.
b) It made India the largest milk producer in the world.

29. Define animal husbandry.

Answer: Animal husbandry is the scientific management of livestock for their breeding, feeding, healthcare and production of milk, meat, eggs, wool and other products.

Teacher's Note:
a) It includes dairy farming, poultry farming, fisheries and beekeeping.
b) Animal husbandry helps to provide food and income to farmers.

30. Name the programmes executed in India to increase food production.

Answer: Green Revolution (increase in crop production), White Revolution (increase in milk production) and Blue Revolution (increase in fish production).

Teacher's Note:
a) The Green Revolution is linked with high-yielding varieties and fertilisers.
b) The Blue Revolution increased fish production through aquaculture and fisheries.

31. What are the various crops seasons in India?

Answer: Kharif (sown in the monsoon season, June to October), Rabi (sown in winter, October to March) and Zaid (sown in the summer, March to June).

Teacher's Note:
a) Rice, maize and cotton are kharif crops.
b) Wheat, gram and mustard are rabi crops.

32. Name the approaches used to enhance crop yield.

Answer: Crop improvement (breeding for better varieties), crop production management (irrigation, fertilisers, cropping patterns) and crop protection management (control of weeds, pests and diseases).

Teacher's Note:
a) Each approach improves yield in a different way.
b) Crop protection reduces losses that would otherwise occur from pests and weeds.

33. What are milch animals?

Answer: Milch animals are animals that are reared mainly for milk, such as cows, buffaloes and goats.

Teacher's Note:
a) Cows and buffaloes are the main milch animals in India.
b) Good milch animals are selected for high milk yield and good health.

34. What are draught animals?

Answer: Draught animals are animals that are used for pulling ploughs and carts, such as bullocks, camels and horses.

Teacher's Note:
a) Draught animals provide power for farm work.
b) Mechanisation has reduced their use, but they are still important in many villages.

35. What is broiler?

Answer: A broiler is a fast-growing variety of chicken reared for meat.

Teacher's Note:
a) Broilers gain weight quickly and are ready for market in a short time.
b) Layers, in contrast, are reared for eggs.

36. Give examples of cereals that give us carbohydrates.

Answer: Rice, wheat, maize, barley and millets.

Teacher's Note:
a) Cereals are the grains of grass-family plants.
b) Carbohydrates in cereals are mainly in the form of starch.

37. Name some pulses that give us proteins.

Answer: Gram (chana), moong, masoor, arhar (tur) and urad.

Teacher's Note:
a) Pulses are the seeds of leguminous plants.
b) Pulses are important for vegetarians as a source of protein.

38. Give examples of oilseeds that provide us fats.

Answer: Groundnut, mustard, sunflower, soybean and sesame.

Teacher's Note:
a) Oilseeds are the main source of cooking oil.
b) Oilseeds also provide protein for animal feed.

39. Give examples of fodder crops.

Answer: Berseem, lucerne, maize, oats and sorghum (jowar).

Teacher's Note:
a) Fodder crops are grown to feed livestock.
b) Berseem is a legume and adds nitrogen to the soil.

40. Name the biotic factors that affect on crop production.

Answer: Weeds, insect pests, pathogens (fungi, bacteria and viruses) and nematodes.

Teacher's Note:
a) Biotic factors are living organisms that harm crops.
b) Frost, drought and flood are abiotic factors, not biotic ones.

41. Name the nutrients that plants take from air?

Answer: Carbon and oxygen (taken as carbon dioxide and oxygen).

Teacher's Note:
a) Plants use carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis.
b) Hydrogen comes from water, not from air.

42. From where do plants acquire the following nutrients?
(i) Nitrogen
(ii) Hydrogen

Answer:
(i) Nitrogen: from the soil, mainly as nitrates and ammonium compounds.
(ii) Hydrogen: from water.

Teacher's Note:
a) Plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen directly; it must first be fixed.
b) Hydrogen is obtained from water, which is taken up by the roots.

43. List the nutrients that plants absorb from soil.

Answer: Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, and micro-nutrients such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chlorine.

Teacher's Note:
a) Plants absorb these nutrients as ions dissolved in soil water.
b) Deficiency of any one of them reduces the growth of the crop.

44. What are manures?

Answer: Manures are natural organic substances of plant or animal origin that are added to the soil to increase its fertility.

Teacher's Note:
a) Farmyard manure, compost and green manure are common examples.
b) Manures add nutrients slowly and improve the water-holding capacity of soil.

45. What is the full form of IARI?

Answer: Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

Teacher's Note:
a) IARI is located at Pusa, New Delhi.
b) It carries out research on crop improvement.

46. What are the desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvement?

Answer:
1. High yield and good quality of the produce.
2. Resistance to biotic stress (pests and diseases) and abiotic stress (drought, salinity and frost).
3. Response to fertilisers, and suitable plant height (dwarfness to prevent lodging).
4. Short duration from sowing to harvesting, and uniform maturity.

Teacher's Note:
a) Tallness is not desired in cereals, because tall plants lodge easily.
b) Shorter duration allows more crops in one year.

47. What are Macro-nutrients?

Answer: Macro-nutrients are the nutrients required by plants in large quantities.

Teacher's Note:
a) Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are also needed in large amounts, but they come from air and water.
b) Macro-nutrients are needed in larger amounts than micro-nutrients.

48. List examples of Macro-nutrients for plants?

Answer: Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur.

Teacher's Note:
a) Nitrogen is needed for proteins and chlorophyll.
b) Potassium helps in the movement of water and in the opening and closing of stomata.

49. List the seven micro-nutrients taken by plants?

Answer: Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and chlorine.

Teacher's Note:
a) Micro-nutrients are needed in very small amounts.
b) Even a small deficiency of a micro-nutrient can reduce crop yield.

50. Based on kinds of biological material used, how many types of manures are there?

Answer: Two types: compost (made from plant and animal waste) and green manure (made from green plants grown and ploughed into the soil).

Teacher's Note:
a) Vermicompost is a form of compost made with earthworms.
b) Green manure, such as sunhemp, adds nitrogen when it is ploughed into the soil.

51. What are fertilizers? Give two examples.

Answer: Fertilizers are chemically manufactured substances that supply specific nutrients to plants. Examples: urea and superphosphate of lime.

Teacher's Note:
a) Fertilisers are rich in nutrients but low in organic matter.
b) Ammonium phosphate and potassium sulphate are other examples.

52. Out of manures and fertilizers, which one is nutrient specific?

Answer: Fertilizers are nutrient specific.

Teacher's Note:
a) A nitrogen fertiliser supplies only nitrogen, for example.
b) Manures supply many nutrients together, though in small amounts.

53. What is the most common source of irrigation in India?

Answer: Wells (including tube wells) are the most common source of irrigation in India.

Teacher's Note:
a) Wells draw water from underground, or groundwater.
b) Canals are the next major source of irrigation.

54. Give examples of commonly used irrigation systems in our country?

Answer: Canals, wells and tube wells, lift irrigation, sprinkler systems and drip irrigation.

Teacher's Note:
a) Drip irrigation saves water by supplying it directly to the roots.
b) Sprinkler systems are useful on uneven land.

55. What is vermicompost?

Answer: Vermicompost is nutrient-rich manure prepared by earthworms feeding on organic waste.

Teacher's Note:
a) The earthworm castings contain nutrients in a form that plants can absorb easily.
b) It improves the soil structure and water-holding capacity.

56. Manures are useful for short term benefits or long-term benefits?

Answer: Long-term benefits.

Teacher's Note:
a) Manures release nutrients slowly over a long period.
b) They improve the texture and water-holding capacity of soil over years.

57. Fertilizers are useful for short term benefits or long-term benefits?

Answer: Short-term benefits.

Teacher's Note:
a) Fertilisers supply nutrients quickly, so the crop responds fast.
b) Long use without organic matter can reduce soil fertility.

58. What is organic farming?

Answer: Organic farming is a method of growing crops without using chemical fertilisers and synthetic pesticides. It uses manures, compost, green manure, crop rotation and biological pest control.

Teacher's Note:
a) Organic farming protects soil health and reduces pollution.
b) Products are often sold at a higher price because of this method.

59. What is the full form of NPK?

Answer: Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Teacher's Note:
a) NPK fertilisers supply the three major macro-nutrients.
b) The letters are the chemical symbols of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).

60. What is lodging?

Answer: Lodging is the bending or falling of the stems of crop plants, usually caused by heavy rain or strong wind.

Teacher's Note:
a) Lodging reduces the yield and makes harvesting difficult.
b) Dwarf varieties of cereals are resistant to lodging.

61. What is mixed cropping?

Answer: Mixed cropping is the growing of two or more crops together on the same piece of land without any fixed row pattern.

Teacher's Note:
a) It gives a farmer some income even if one crop fails.
b) Mixed cropping and inter-cropping are different because inter-cropping uses rows.

62. Give examples of mixed cropping?

Answer: Wheat and gram, and wheat and mustard.

Teacher's Note:
a) Gram is a pulse and adds nitrogen to the soil.
b) Mustard is an oilseed and is grown with wheat in many parts of northern India.

63. Define inter-cropping.

Answer: Inter-cropping is the growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a pre-planned pattern, usually in alternate rows.

Teacher's Note:
a) The rows are arranged so that the crops do not compete much for the same resources.
b) Inter-cropping helps in maintaining soil fertility and controlling pests.

64. Give examples of inter-cropping.

Answer: Soybean and maize, and bajra and cowpea.

Teacher's Note:
a) Soybean is a legume, so it adds nitrogen which benefits maize.
b) Cowpea is also a legume and works well with bajra.

65. Name the two common weeds of wheat and rice crop.

Answer: Wild oat (Avena fatua) and Chenopodium album (bathua) are common weeds of wheat. Echinochloa (sawa grass) and Cyperus rotundus (motha) are common weeds of rice.

Teacher's Note:
a) Weeds compete with the crop for nutrients, water and light.
b) Weeds must be removed early in the crop cycle to reduce yield loss.

66. What are weeds?

Answer: Weeds are unwanted plants that grow in a cultivated field along with the crop and reduce its yield.

Teacher's Note:
a) Weeds are removed by hand, by tools, or by herbicides.
b) Weeds can also harbour pests and diseases of crops.

67. Give examples of Pesticides

Answer: Malathion (insecticide), Bordeaux mixture (fungicide) and 2,4-D (herbicide).

Teacher's Note:
a) Pesticides kill or control pests, fungi or weeds.
b) Their overuse harms soil and water and can leave residues in food.

68. Give examples of fumigants.

Answer: Aluminium phosphide and methyl bromide.

Teacher's Note:
a) Fumigants are gases or volatile chemicals used to kill pests in stored grain.
b) They must be used with care, because they are toxic.

69. Give examples of two major weeds that grow during Kharif season.

Answer: Cyperus rotundus (motha) and Echinochloa (sawa grass).

Teacher's Note:
a) Both weeds grow well in the warm, wet monsoon season.
b) Cyperus rotundus spreads through underground tubers, so it is hard to remove.

70. Cereals largely fulfill which of the following energy requirement?
(a) Proteins
(b) Carbohydrates
(c) Fats
(d) Minerals

Answer: (b) Carbohydrates

Teacher's Note:
a) Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the diet.
b) Cereals contain starch, which is broken down into glucose for energy.

71. Which one is not a source of carbohydrate?
(a) Rice
(b) Millets
(c) Sorghum
(d) Gram

Answer: (d) Gram

Teacher's Note:
a) Gram is a pulse, and its main nutrient is protein.
b) Rice, millets and sorghum are cereals and are rich in carbohydrates.

72. Which of the following is not included in 'organic farming'?
(a) compost and vermi-compost
(b) chemical fertilizers
(c) green manures
(d) crop rotation

Answer: (b) chemical fertilizers

Teacher's Note:
a) Organic farming depends on natural inputs such as compost and green manure.
b) Crop rotation is an organic practice that keeps the soil healthy.

73. Which one of the following species of honey bee is an Italian species?
(a) Apis dorsata
(b) Apis florae
(c) Apis cerana indica
(d) Apis mellifera

Answer: (d) Apis mellifera

Teacher's Note:
a) Apis mellifera is the Italian honey bee used in commercial beekeeping.
b) Apis dorsata, Apis florea and Apis cerana indica are native Indian species.

74. Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding improvement in crop production?
(a) Tallness is desired in cereals.
(b) Profuse branching is good for fodder crops
(c) Variety resistance to biotic stress is a good factor to improve crops.
(d) Shorter duration of crop from sowing to harvesting is better option.

Answer: (a) Tallness is desired in cereals.

Teacher's Note:
a) Tall cereal plants lodge easily, so dwarf varieties are preferred.
b) Profuse branching gives more fodder and is a desired trait in fodder crops.

75. Which is the oldest breeding method?
(a) introduction
(b) hybridization
(c) mutation
(d) selection

Answer: (d) selection

Teacher's Note:
a) Selection means choosing plants with desirable characters for further growth.
b) Early farmers used this method when they selected the best seeds for sowing.

76. Which of the following is not a type of biotic stress?
(a) diseases
(b) insect
(c) frost
(d) nematodes

Answer: (c) frost

Teacher's Note:
a) Frost is a non-living, or abiotic, factor.
b) Diseases, insects and nematodes are living organisms that harm crops.

77. Apiculture deals with
(a) Bee Keeping
(b) Rearing Pigs
(c) Rearing Cows and Buffaloes
(d) Rearing Silk Moths

Answer: (a) Bee Keeping

Teacher's Note:
a) Apiculture is the scientific rearing of honey bees.
b) Rearing silk moths is called sericulture, and rearing fish is called pisciculture.

78. Red Sindhi, Sahilwal, Jersey, Brown Swiss are breeds of
(a) Pigs
(b) Buffaloes
(c) Cows
(d) Fowl

Answer: (c) Cows

Teacher's Note:
a) Red Sindhi and Sahiwal are Indian dairy breeds, while Jersey and Brown Swiss are exotic breeds.
b) The name in the paper is written as 'Sahilwal'; the correct name is Sahiwal.

79. Which of the following is not a marine fish?
(a) pomphret
(b) mackerel
(c) catla
(d) sardines

Answer: (c) catla

Teacher's Note:
a) Catla is a freshwater fish of rivers and ponds.
b) Pomphret, mackerel and sardines are marine fish.