CLASS - 8

CH – 1
SCIENCE
Crop Production and Management
Q1. Fill in the blanks.
i. The same kind of plants grown and cultivated on a large scale at a place is
called crop.
ii. The first step before growing crops is preparation of the soil.
iii. Damaged seeds would float on top of water.
iv. For growing a crop, sufficient sunlight and nutrients and water from the soil are
essential.
v. The removal of weeds is called weeding.
vi. Weeds are also controlled by using certain chemicals, called weedicides.

Q2. True/False
i. ‘Combine’ is in fact a combined harvester and thresher. True
ii. A seed drill is also used to uproot weeds. True
iii. We get our food only from plants. False
iv. Pumps are commonly used for lifting water. True
v. The fresh crop has less moisture. False
vi. Dried neem leaves are used for storing food grains at home. True

Q3. Give few examples of weedicides.

Ans. 2, 4-D

Q4. Name the bacteria which fix atmospheric nitrogen.

Ans. Rhizobium bacteria

Q5. What is called weeding?

Ans. The removal of weeds is called weeding.
Q6. Name the tool used for tilling of soil.
Ans. Tilling of soil is done by using a plough.

Q7. How are crumbs broken?

Ans. Crumbs are broken with the help of plank.

Q8. Write 2 natural methods of replenishing the soil with nutrients.

Ans. 1. Use of manure 2. Crop rotation

Q9. How is levelling of soil done?

Ans. The levelling of soil is done with the help of a leveller.
Q10. What are the two ways of sowing the seeds?
Ans. Seeds can be sown manually or by seed drills.

Q11. How is ploughing done nowadays?

Ans. Nowadays ploughing is done by tractor driven cultivator.

Q12. What is sowing?

Ans. Sowing is the process of planting seeds in the soil.

Q13. Name two categories of crops based on season.

Ans. Two categories of crop based on season are kharif and rabi crops.

Q14. What is threshing?

Ans. Separation of the grains from the chaff is called threshing.

Q15. How are grains stored at home?

Ans. Dried neem leaves are used for storing food grains at home.
Q16. What are called crumbs?
Ans. The ploughed field may have big pieces of soil called crumbs.

Q17. Why is it important to level the field after ploughing?

Ans. The field is levelled for sowing as well as for irrigation purposes.
Q18. What are good quality seeds?
Ans. Good quality seeds are clean and healthy seeds of a good variety.

Q19. Give some examples of Rabi crop?

Ans. Examples of rabi crops are wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed.

Q20. What is harvesting?

Ans. Harvesting is the cutting of the mature crop manually or by machines.

Q21. Name the two modern methods of irrigation that help us to use water economically.
Ans. Sprinkler System and Drip system

Q22. Why can paddy not be grown in the winter season?

Ans. Paddy requires a lot of water. Therefore, it is grown only in the rainy season.
Q23. Why proper storage of crop products is important?
Ans. Proper storage of crop products is important to prevent them from spoilage.

Q24. Give some examples of Kharif crop.

Ans. Examples of kharif crops are Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton, etc.

Q25. What are the benefits of eating fish?

Ans. Fish is good for health. We get cod liver oil from fish which is rich in vitamin D.

Q26. How do fertilisers help farmers?

Ans. The use of fertilisers has helped farmers to get better yield of crops such as wheat, paddy
and maize.

Q27. How are crops categorised in India?

Ans. In India, crops can be broadly categorised into two types based on seasons - rabi and kharif
crops.

Q28. How is harvesting done in India?

Ans. Harvesting in our country is either done manually by sickle or by a machine called
harvester.

Q29. What is winnowing?

Ans. After threshing, grains are separated from chaff with help of wind. This process is called
winnowing.

Q30. List some festivals that are associated with the harvest season.
Ans. Special festivals associated with the harvest season are Pongal, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali,
Nabanya and Bihu.

Q31. What is crop rotation?

Ans. Crop rotation is a method of replenishing the soil with nutrients by growing different crops
alternately.
Q32. Why should excessive supply of water to plants be avoided?
Ans. Excessive supply of water to plants should be avoided because roots get damaged and the
plants die.

Q33. Why some seeds float on water?

Ans. Damaged seeds become hollow and are thus lighter. Therefore, they float on water.

Q34. Why does farmer rotate crops in the field?

Ans. Farmer rotates crops in the field because crop rotation helps in the replenishment of the soil
nutrients.

Q35. What are the different sources of irrigation?

Ans. Sources of irrigation: The sources of irrigation are— wells, tubewells, ponds, lakes, rivers,
dams and canals.

Q36. What is the right time to spray weedicides?

Ans. The weedicides are sprayed during the vegetative growth of weeds before flowering and
seed formation.

Q37. How is threshing carried out?

Ans. Threshing is carried out with the help of a machine called ‘combine’ which is in fact a
combined harvester and thresher.
Q38. What are the advantages of using manure in crop fields?
Ans. The use of manure improves soil texture as well as its water retaining capacity. It
replenishes the soil with all the nutrients.

Q39. In summer, the frequency of watering is higher. Why is it so?

Ans. In summer, the frequency of watering is higher due to the increased rate of evaporation of
water from the soil and the leaves.

Q40. Why does the loosening of soil allow the roots to breathe easily?
Ans. Loosening of soil allow the roots to breathe easily because air fill up the spaces between the
soil particles and provides airy soil to the roots.
Q41. How are grains stored in godowns?
Ans. For storing large quantities of grains in big godowns, specific chemical treatments are
required to protect them from pests and microorganisms.

Q42. Is it a good practice to burn the stubs left in the field? Give reasons.
Ans. No, it is not a good practice to burn the stubs left in the field because it causes pollution. It
may also catch fire and damage the crops lying in the fields.

Q43. How weeds are removed manually?

Ans. The manual removal includes physical removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting them close
to the ground, from time to time. This is done with the help of a khurpi.

Q44. What are the harmful effects of using fertilisers?

Ans. Harmful effects of using fertilisers
i. Excessive use of fertilisers has made the soil less fertile.
ii. Fertilisers have also become a source of water pollution.

Q45. What do you understand by agricultural practices?

Ans. Cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers over a period of
time. These activities or tasks are referred to as agricultural practices.

Q46. What is animal husbandry?

Ans. Animals reared at home or in farms, have to be provided with proper food, shelter and care.
When this is done on a large scale, it is called animal husbandry.

Q47. What precautions should be taken while spraying weedicides and why?
Ans. Spraying of weedicides may affect the health of farmers. So they should use these
chemicals very carefully. They should cover their nose and mouth with a piece of cloth during
spraying of these chemicals.

Q48. Explain in detail the structure and use of hoe.

Ans. It is a simple tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil. It has a long
rod of wood or iron. A strong, broad and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works
like a blade. It is pulled by animals.
Q49. What are fertilisers? Give some examples.
Ans. Fertilisers are chemical substances which are rich in a particular nutrient. Some examples of
fertilisers are— urea, ammonium sulphate, super phosphate, potash, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus,
Potassium).

Q50. Why appropriate distance between the seeds is important?

Ans. An appropriate distance between the seeds is important to avoid overcrowding of plants.
This allows plants to get sufficient sunlight, nutrients and water from the soil.

Q51. Why earthworms and microbes are called friends of farmer?

Ans. The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes present in the soil. These
organisms are friends of the farmer since they further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to
it.

Q52. What are kharif crops?

Ans. The crops which are sown in the rainy season are called kharif crops. The rainy season in
India is generally from June to September. Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton, etc., are
kharif crops.

Q53. What are rabi crops?

Ans. The crops grown in the winter season are called rabi crops. Their time period is generally
from October to March. Examples of rabi crops are wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed.
Q54. Why do farmers add manure to the soil?
Ans. Continuous growing of crops makes the soil poorer in certain nutrients.Therefore, farmers
have to add manure to the fields to replenish the soil with nutrients.
Q55. What will happen if field is not ploughed before sowing the seeds?
Ans. Disadvantage of not ploughing the field are:
i. Seeds cannot be sown at proper depth.
ii. Water and air holding capacity of soil will be poor.
Q56. What is called a crop?
Ans. When plants of the same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is
called a crop. For example, crop of wheat means that all the plants grown in a field are that of
wheat.

Q57. What is seed drill?

Ans. This tool sows the seeds uniformly at proper distances and depths. It ensures that seeds get
covered by the soil after sowing. This prevents damage caused by birds. Sowing by using a seed
drill saves time and labour.

Q58. Why traditional methods of irrigation are cheaper, but less efficient?
Ans. The water available in wells, lakes and canals is lifted up by different methods in different
regions, for taking it to the fields. Cattle or human labour is used in these methods. So these
methods are cheaper, but less efficient.

Q59. How can we separate good, healthy seeds from the damaged ones?
Ans. Take a beaker and fill half of it with water. Put a handful of wheat seeds and stir well. Wait
for some time. Are there seeds which float on water? Seeds that float on water are the damaged
ones. Damaged seeds become hollow and are thus lighter. Therefore, they float on water.

Q60. What are the advantages of drip system of irrigation?

Ans. Advantages of drip system of irrigation are:
i. It is the best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees.
ii. The system provides water to plants drop by drop. Water is not wasted at all.
iii. It is a boon in regions where availability of water is poor.

Q61. How is turning and loosening of soil important for cultivation of crops?
Ans. Since only a few centimetres of the top layer of soil supports plant growth, turning and
loosening of soil brings the nutrient-rich soil to the top so that plants can use these nutrients.
Thus, turning and loosening of soil is very important for cultivation of crops.
Q62. Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.
Ans. Continuous plantation of crops in a field makes the soil deficient in certain nutrients such as
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc. These nutrients are essential for the growth of plants. As
such soil does not get time to replenish the lost nutrients, the crop yield decreases automatically.
Q63. What are the traditional methods of irrigation?
Ans. The various traditional ways are:
i. moat (pulley-system)
ii. chain pump
iii. dhekli, and
iv. rahat (Lever system)

Q64. Why it is necessary to remove weeds?

Or
Why is weeding necessary?
Ans. The removal of weeds is called weeding. Weeding is necessary since weeds compete with
the crop plants for water, nutrients, space and light. Thus, they affect the growth of the crop.
Some weeds interfere even in harvesting and may be poisonous for animals and human beings.

Q65. What is manure and how is it prepared?

Or
How is organic manure obtained?
Ans. Manure is an organic substance obtained from the decomposition of plant or animal wastes.
Farmers dump plant and animal waste in pits at open places and allow it to decompose. The
decomposition is caused by some microorganisms. The decomposed matter is used as organic
manure.

Q66. Why is water essential for plant? Discuss

Ans. Water is essential because germination of seeds does not take place under dry conditions.
Nutrients dissolved in water get transported to each part of the plant. Water also protects the crop
from both frost and hot air currents. To maintain the moisture of the soil for healthy crop growth,
fields have to be watered regularly.

Q67. What are the characteristics of good quality seeds?

Ans. Following are the characteristics of a good quality seed:
i. It should be clean.
 ii. It should be healthy and of good variety.
iii. It should have high yield.
iv. It should be disease resistant.
Q68. Why is it necessary to dry the harvested food grains before storage?
Ans. The fresh crop has more moisture. If freshly harvested grains (seeds) are stored without
drying, they may get spoilt or attacked by organisms, losing their germination capacity. Hence,
before storing them, the grains are properly dried in the sun to reduce the moisture in them. This
prevents the attack by insect pests, bacteria and fungi.

Q69. Why drilling is the best method for sowing of seeds?

Or
Explain the method used these days to sow seeds.
Ans. Nowadays the seed drill is used for sowing with the help of tractors. Seed drill sows the
seeds uniformly at proper distances and depths. It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after
sowing. This prevents damage caused by birds. Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and
labour. Hence, it is considered as the best method for sowing of seeds.

Q70. What are the advantages of sprinkler system of irrigation?

Ans. Advantages of sprinkler system of irrigation
i. This system is more useful on the uneven land where sufficient water is not
available.
ii. Water gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining.
iii. Sprinkler is very useful for sandy soil.
iv. Water is also distributed more evenly across crops helping to avoid wastage.

Q71. What are the steps involved in agricultural practices?

Ans. Steps involved in agricultural practices are:
i. Preparation of soil
ii. Sowing
iii. Adding manure and fertilisers
iv. Irrigation
v. Protecting from weeds
vi. Harvesting
 vii. Storage
Q72. Why organic manure is considered better than fertilisers?
Or
What are the advantages of organic manure?
Ans. The organic manure is considered better than fertilisers. This is because
i. It enhances the water holding capacity of the soil.
ii. It makes the soil porous due to which exchange of gases becomes easy.
iii. It increases the number of friendly microbes.
iv. It improves the texture of the soil.

Q73. If wheat is sown in the kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.
Ans. Wheat is a rabi crop and grown in winter season. Their time period is generally from
October to March. It needs cool, dry and clear climate for better growth and yield. Kharif season
is generally from June to September. Kharif crops requires huge amount of water and hot
weather to grow. If wheat is grown in Kharif season it will be affected adversely as hot and
humid climate is not ideal for cultivation of wheat.

Q74. Name the three tools used for ploughing. Write function of each.
Ans. Tools used for ploughing are:
Plough: This is being used since ancient times for tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to the crop,
removing the weeds, scraping of soil, etc.
Hoe: It is a simple tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil.
Cultivator: Nowadays ploughing is done by tractor driven cultivator. The use of cultivator saves
labour and time.
Q75. Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.
Ans. Difference between fertilisers and manure

Fertiliser Manure
1. A fertiliser is an inorganic salt. 1. Manure is a natural substance obtained
by the decomposition of cattle dung,
human waste and plant residues.

2. A fertiliser is prepared in factories. 2. Manure can be prepared in the fields.

 3. A fertiliser does not provide any 3. Manure provides a lot of humus to the
humus to the soil. soil.

4. Fertilisers are very rich in plant 4. Manure is relatively less rich in plant
nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and nutrients.
potassium.

Q76. How a plough works?

Ans. Plough is used for tilling the soil, adding fertilisers to the crop, removing the weeds,
scraping of soil, etc. This implement is made of wood and is drawn by a pair of bulls or other
animals (horses, camels, etc.). It contains a strong triangular iron strip called ploughshare. The
main part of the plough is a long log of wood which is called a ploughshaft. There is a handle at
one end of the shaft. The other end is attached to a beam which is placed on the bulls’ necks. One
pair of bulls and a man can easily operate the plough.

Q77. What are weeds? How can we control them?

Ans. In a field many other undesirable plants may grow naturally along with the crop. These
undesirable plants are called weeds. Weeds can be controlled in the following ways:
i. Tilling before sowing of crops helps in uprooting and killing of weeds.
ii. The manual removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting them close to the ground,
from time to time. This is done with the help of a khurpi. A seed drill is also used to uproot
weeds.
iii. Weeds are also controlled by using certain chemicals, called weedicides, like 2,4-
D. These are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds.

Q78. What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation which conserve water.
Ans. The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation.
Sprinkler System: This system is more useful on the uneven land where sufficient water is not
available. The perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to the main
pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure
with the help of a pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles. It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it
is raining. Sprinkler is very useful for sandy soil.
Drip system: In this system, the water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots. So it is
called drip system. It is the best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees. The
system provides water to plants drop by drop. Water is not wasted at all.