Chapter 15: “Improvement in food resources”
KEY CONCEPTS : [ *rating as per the significance of concept]
CONCEPTS RATING
Improvement in crop yield ***
Crop variety improvement ****
Crop production management *****
Crop protection management ***
Animal Husbandry ****
1. Food Resources: Cereals (Wheat, rice, maize, millets and sorghum) provide us
carbohydrates; Pulses (Grams, pea and lentil) provide us proteins; Oil seeds (Soya bean,
ground nut, sesame, and castor) provide us fats; Vegetables, spices and fruits provide us a
range of minerals, nucleic acids and vitamins. In addition to these food crops, fodder crops
like berseem, oats or sudan grass are raised as food for the livestock are called as fodder
crops.
2. The Kharif crops: The crops grown in rainy season are called as Kharif crops (Paddy, Soya
bean, pigeon pea and maize). They are grown from June to October.
3. The Rabi crops: The crops grown in winter season are called Rabi crops (Wheat, gram,
peas, and mustard). They are grown November to April.
Compare Kharif crops and Rabi crops:
SN Crop Season Example
1 Kharif crops June to October ( Rainy Season) Paddy, Soya bean, and maize
2 Rabi crops November to April ( winter Wheat, gram, peas, and
season) mustard
4. The Green Revolution: Food supplies are generally as proteins, carbohydrates, fats,
minerals, nucleic acids and vitamins in all living organisms. Indian population is growing
enormously. Green Revolution is the need of the hour to increase food-grain production.
88
, 5. Sustainable Practices: For sustained livelihood, one should undertake mixed farming,
intercropping, and integrated farming practices, for example, combining agriculture with
livestock/ poultry/ fisheries/bee-keeping. The major group of activities for improving crop
yield can be classified as: Crop varietal improvement, Crop production improvement, Crop
protection improvement
6. The Crop varietal improvement:
a) Hybridization: It refers to crossing between genetically dissimilar plants;It is all to get
higher yield, improved quality, biotic and abiotic resistance, change in maturity duration,
wider adaptability and desirable agronomic characteristics.
SN Type Context
1 Intervarietal Hybridization between different varieties
2 Interspecific Hybridization between different species
3 Intergeneric Hybridization between different genera
4 Genetically Modified Crops (GMC). Another way of improving the crop is by
introducing a gene that would provide the
desired characteristic.
7. The Crop production improvement: They include” no cost production”,” low cost
production” or “high cost production” practices.
a) Nutrients( Sixteen elements are required for growth are called as essential elements
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen+ Macronutrients & Micronutrients. They increase the yield):
SN Macronutrient Micronutrient
1 Six elements are required in larger Other seven elements are required
quantity in small quantity
2 Ex.Nitrogen, phosphorus, Ex. Iron, manganese, boron, zink,
calsium,Postasium, magnisium, sulphur copper, molybdinum, chlorine
89
KEY CONCEPTS : [ *rating as per the significance of concept]
CONCEPTS RATING
Improvement in crop yield ***
Crop variety improvement ****
Crop production management *****
Crop protection management ***
Animal Husbandry ****
1. Food Resources: Cereals (Wheat, rice, maize, millets and sorghum) provide us
carbohydrates; Pulses (Grams, pea and lentil) provide us proteins; Oil seeds (Soya bean,
ground nut, sesame, and castor) provide us fats; Vegetables, spices and fruits provide us a
range of minerals, nucleic acids and vitamins. In addition to these food crops, fodder crops
like berseem, oats or sudan grass are raised as food for the livestock are called as fodder
crops.
2. The Kharif crops: The crops grown in rainy season are called as Kharif crops (Paddy, Soya
bean, pigeon pea and maize). They are grown from June to October.
3. The Rabi crops: The crops grown in winter season are called Rabi crops (Wheat, gram,
peas, and mustard). They are grown November to April.
Compare Kharif crops and Rabi crops:
SN Crop Season Example
1 Kharif crops June to October ( Rainy Season) Paddy, Soya bean, and maize
2 Rabi crops November to April ( winter Wheat, gram, peas, and
season) mustard
4. The Green Revolution: Food supplies are generally as proteins, carbohydrates, fats,
minerals, nucleic acids and vitamins in all living organisms. Indian population is growing
enormously. Green Revolution is the need of the hour to increase food-grain production.
88
, 5. Sustainable Practices: For sustained livelihood, one should undertake mixed farming,
intercropping, and integrated farming practices, for example, combining agriculture with
livestock/ poultry/ fisheries/bee-keeping. The major group of activities for improving crop
yield can be classified as: Crop varietal improvement, Crop production improvement, Crop
protection improvement
6. The Crop varietal improvement:
a) Hybridization: It refers to crossing between genetically dissimilar plants;It is all to get
higher yield, improved quality, biotic and abiotic resistance, change in maturity duration,
wider adaptability and desirable agronomic characteristics.
SN Type Context
1 Intervarietal Hybridization between different varieties
2 Interspecific Hybridization between different species
3 Intergeneric Hybridization between different genera
4 Genetically Modified Crops (GMC). Another way of improving the crop is by
introducing a gene that would provide the
desired characteristic.
7. The Crop production improvement: They include” no cost production”,” low cost
production” or “high cost production” practices.
a) Nutrients( Sixteen elements are required for growth are called as essential elements
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen+ Macronutrients & Micronutrients. They increase the yield):
SN Macronutrient Micronutrient
1 Six elements are required in larger Other seven elements are required
quantity in small quantity
2 Ex.Nitrogen, phosphorus, Ex. Iron, manganese, boron, zink,
calsium,Postasium, magnisium, sulphur copper, molybdinum, chlorine
89
