IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD RESOURCES
GRADE 9
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
There is a need to introduce production efficiency of crops and livestock because
1 rapid increase in population
2 No major scope of increasing area of land under cultivation.
Increase in food production without degrading our environment and disturbing the
ecological balance i.e. Sustainable Practices are required in agriculture and animal
Aarush Arora
husbandry.
TYPES OF CROPS
Cereals: wheat, rice, maize, millets and sorghum. Provide carbohydrates for energy
requirements.
Pulses: pea, gram, black gram, green gram, pigeon pea and lentil. Provide proteins
Oilseeds: soya bean, ground nut, sesame, castor, mustard, linseed and sun flower. Provide
necessary fats.
Vegetables, spices and fruits provide vitamins and minerals.
** Different crop require different climatic conditions, temperature and photoperiods for
their growth and completion of life cycle. Crops which grown in rainy season are called
kharif crops and those which grown in winter season are called rabi crops. Kharif crops:
paddy, soya bean, pigeon pea, cotton, green gram etc.
Rabi crops: wheat, gram, peas, mustard, linseed etc.
Difference between kharif and rabi crops
,Kharif crop Rabi crop
1. Sown in the months of june- july. 1. Sown in the months of October-
November.
2. Crops grow in hot and wet conditions 2. Crops grow in cold and dry
conditions.
3. Crops are harvested during 3. Crops are harvested during march-
September- October. april.
IMPROVING CROP YIELD
The practices involved in farming are divided into three stages. They are
(A) Choice of seeds for planting
(b) Nurturing of the crop plants
Aarush Arora
(c) Protection of the growing and harvested crops from loss.
Hence the major activities for improving crop yields can be classified as
Crop variety improvement
Crop production improvement
Crop protection improvement
Crop Variety Improvement
This approach depends on finding a crop that can give a good yield. Some of the factors for
which variety improvement is done are:
Higher yield: for increasing the productivity per acre.
Improved quality: quality considerations vary from crop to crop as per the requirements.
Biotic and abiotic resistance: crops should have sufficient resistance to biotic factors
(diseases, insects and nematodes) and abiotic stresses (heat, cold, frost etc.)
Change in maturity duration: the shorter the duration, the more economical is the
variety. Wider adaptability: it can be grown in different climatic conditions.
Desirable agronomic characteristics: tallness and profuse branching for fodder crops.
, Dwarfness is desired for cereals.
This can be achieved by two methods; hybridisation and genetically modified crops.
1. Hybridisation: In genetics, hybridisation is the process of combining different
varieties or species of organisms which are genetically dissimilar to create a hybrid.
It can be inter varietal, inter specific, intergeneric.
2. Genetically modified crops: here the crop is improved by introducing a gene that
would provide desired characteristics.
.
CROP PRODUCTION
It involves different practices carried out by farmer to achieve higher standards of crop
production.
It includes the following:
1. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT (MANURE, FERTILIZERS
AND ORGANIC FARMING)
2. IRRIGATION 3. CROPPING PATTERN
Aarush Arora
1.NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT:
There are 16 nutrients which are essential for plants as deficiency of these nutrients will affect
the physiological processes of plants such as growth, reproduction etc. Out of these nutrients
13 nutrients are supplied by soil; oxygen and carbon by air; hydrogen by water.
Out of 13 nutrients 6 are classified as macronutrients and rest as micronutrients.
MICRONUTRIENTS- they are needed in only very small (micro) quantities. They are also
called as minor elements or trace elements. These include elements like boron, zinc etc.
MACRONUTRIENTS: they are required by plants in relatively large amounts. The major
macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K),Calcium (Ca), magnesium
(Mg), and sulfur (S) .
METHODS INVOLVED IN ENRICHING THE SOIL TO INCREASE THE YIELD: A)
MANURE: it is defined as the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste.
Advantages of Manure
1. Manures helps in enriching the soil with organic matter and nutrients.
2. It helps in increasing the soil fertility.
3. Water holding capacity of soil is increased.
4. Helps in improving soil texture.
5. Save our environment from excessive use of fertilizers.
Manure is classified into two types according to the biological material used:
A) compost and vermi-compost:
GRADE 9
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
There is a need to introduce production efficiency of crops and livestock because
1 rapid increase in population
2 No major scope of increasing area of land under cultivation.
Increase in food production without degrading our environment and disturbing the
ecological balance i.e. Sustainable Practices are required in agriculture and animal
Aarush Arora
husbandry.
TYPES OF CROPS
Cereals: wheat, rice, maize, millets and sorghum. Provide carbohydrates for energy
requirements.
Pulses: pea, gram, black gram, green gram, pigeon pea and lentil. Provide proteins
Oilseeds: soya bean, ground nut, sesame, castor, mustard, linseed and sun flower. Provide
necessary fats.
Vegetables, spices and fruits provide vitamins and minerals.
** Different crop require different climatic conditions, temperature and photoperiods for
their growth and completion of life cycle. Crops which grown in rainy season are called
kharif crops and those which grown in winter season are called rabi crops. Kharif crops:
paddy, soya bean, pigeon pea, cotton, green gram etc.
Rabi crops: wheat, gram, peas, mustard, linseed etc.
Difference between kharif and rabi crops
,Kharif crop Rabi crop
1. Sown in the months of june- july. 1. Sown in the months of October-
November.
2. Crops grow in hot and wet conditions 2. Crops grow in cold and dry
conditions.
3. Crops are harvested during 3. Crops are harvested during march-
September- October. april.
IMPROVING CROP YIELD
The practices involved in farming are divided into three stages. They are
(A) Choice of seeds for planting
(b) Nurturing of the crop plants
Aarush Arora
(c) Protection of the growing and harvested crops from loss.
Hence the major activities for improving crop yields can be classified as
Crop variety improvement
Crop production improvement
Crop protection improvement
Crop Variety Improvement
This approach depends on finding a crop that can give a good yield. Some of the factors for
which variety improvement is done are:
Higher yield: for increasing the productivity per acre.
Improved quality: quality considerations vary from crop to crop as per the requirements.
Biotic and abiotic resistance: crops should have sufficient resistance to biotic factors
(diseases, insects and nematodes) and abiotic stresses (heat, cold, frost etc.)
Change in maturity duration: the shorter the duration, the more economical is the
variety. Wider adaptability: it can be grown in different climatic conditions.
Desirable agronomic characteristics: tallness and profuse branching for fodder crops.
, Dwarfness is desired for cereals.
This can be achieved by two methods; hybridisation and genetically modified crops.
1. Hybridisation: In genetics, hybridisation is the process of combining different
varieties or species of organisms which are genetically dissimilar to create a hybrid.
It can be inter varietal, inter specific, intergeneric.
2. Genetically modified crops: here the crop is improved by introducing a gene that
would provide desired characteristics.
.
CROP PRODUCTION
It involves different practices carried out by farmer to achieve higher standards of crop
production.
It includes the following:
1. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT (MANURE, FERTILIZERS
AND ORGANIC FARMING)
2. IRRIGATION 3. CROPPING PATTERN
Aarush Arora
1.NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT:
There are 16 nutrients which are essential for plants as deficiency of these nutrients will affect
the physiological processes of plants such as growth, reproduction etc. Out of these nutrients
13 nutrients are supplied by soil; oxygen and carbon by air; hydrogen by water.
Out of 13 nutrients 6 are classified as macronutrients and rest as micronutrients.
MICRONUTRIENTS- they are needed in only very small (micro) quantities. They are also
called as minor elements or trace elements. These include elements like boron, zinc etc.
MACRONUTRIENTS: they are required by plants in relatively large amounts. The major
macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K),Calcium (Ca), magnesium
(Mg), and sulfur (S) .
METHODS INVOLVED IN ENRICHING THE SOIL TO INCREASE THE YIELD: A)
MANURE: it is defined as the decomposition of animal excreta and plant waste.
Advantages of Manure
1. Manures helps in enriching the soil with organic matter and nutrients.
2. It helps in increasing the soil fertility.
3. Water holding capacity of soil is increased.
4. Helps in improving soil texture.
5. Save our environment from excessive use of fertilizers.
Manure is classified into two types according to the biological material used:
A) compost and vermi-compost:
